2022 brought more EVs than ever before, as well as a few old-school traditionalists clinging on to the power and prestige of fossil-fuelled luxury. What were once far-future concepts can now be found on every corner, as electrification alters our preconception of what personal transportation looks like. Here’s our pick of Wallpaper’s top 10 transport stories of the year.
TOP 10 TRANSPORT STORIES OF 2022
1. Porsche 911 Dakar is rugged, rally-inspired and raring to go off-road
Kicking off with a classic case of mission creep, Porsche’s 911 Dakar is a rugged rally machine born out decades of competition experience.
2. The Genesis GV60 marks a new era for electrified luxury
Of all the electric cars that passed through the Wallpaper* office in 2022, the best was probably the latest Genesis, an elegant luxury EV that fulfils the promise of the brand and feels suitably next generation.
3. Volkswagen’s iconic 'camper' gets an electric update. Meet ID. Buzz
Eagerly awaited as the modern manifestation of the cult VW van, the ID.Buzz is a highly desirable machine that offers up many different models, from camper to load lugger.
4. Mercedes-Maybach: behold the majesty of the ultimate limousine
Mercedes-Maybach, the Virgil Abloh edition
It might sound like hyperbole, but the Mercedes-Maybach S580 ticked so many boxes when we tested it back in October that it was hard to fault in any particular way, unless you’re especially averse to acres and acres of flatscreen technology.
5. Morgan’s ultimate driving machine is a minimalist three-wheeler for maximum thrills
At the other end of the combustion-engined scale is the minnow-like Morgan Super 3, a three-wheeled supercar that weighs in at just 635kg (compare that to the Maybach’s 2264kg). First cars should be delivered in 2023.
6. Caravans and travel trailers enjoy a welcome design renaissance
Bruder EXP6-GT
For a genre that used to be a byword for banal, the travel trailer has undergone a remarkable transformation. The very best models are effectively micro-architecture for the permanently mobile.
7. New BMW iX is a bold statement for the future of EV design, inside and out
BMW iX xDrive50 M Sport
BMW’s iX might be out on an aesthetic limb, but the German company knows how to build an EV with soul. The interior is also a cut above the rest.
8. Dacia’s new Manifesto concept is a true outdoor utility vehicle
Dacia Manifesto Concept Car
Dacia makes a virtue of cheap and cheerful, but ensures its low-cost cars are solidly designed and built. The Manifesto will never make it to market, but it was a convincing way of conveying the brand’s innate core qualities.
9. Going up: new players get eVTOL air taxis closer to reality
Eve Air Taxi
2022 saw precisely zero air taxi services take to the skies; will 2023 be any different? The major players are still deep in testing and trials, all looking for the big break that’ll make short hop electric aviation a convincing proposition. Writer: Guy Bird
10. Layer's Pendler urban e-bike concept makes a virtue of practicality
Pendler e-bike concept by Layer Design
The conceptual Pendler e-bike intrigued us with its mix of no-nonsense, practical styling, useful integrated function and handy performance. Here’s hoping a manufacturer steps up to turn it into reality.
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At home with Neri & HuArchitectural super-pair Neri & Hu talk to us about what inspires them, what they are reading, and how they switch off
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‘When We See Us’: Black figurative painting at Cape Town’s Zeitz MOCAA
A group show of Black figurative painting at the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, featuring 156 artists, explores the past and present of self-representation
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Cara \ Davide is the Milanese design duo inventing a new design language on the cusp of contemporary and ancestral
In our Future Icons series, we explore ten next-generation designers who have made us sit up and take notice: here, we speak to Cara \ Davide about their design process and their cross-cultural inspirations
