New Aehra SUV unveiled as striking BMW iX rival

By Sam Phillips

8 Nov 2022

Italian electric start-up Aehra has revealed a striking, aerodynamically-honed SUV, which the 'ultra-premium' EV brand will pit against the BMW iX and Mercedes EQS SUV.

The new EV is the first model to be launched by the Milan-based brand and is set to be followed by an electric saloon that will be unveiled early next year.

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Aehra's SUV, which is set to launch in 2025, will start from around €180,000 (£155,000). Intriguingly Aehra founder and CEO, Hazim Nada, said the firm would not name its future EVs, adding that he did not want to “constrict or limit the evolution of the brand’s line-up” by giving them a model name.

Aehra is targeting a range of up to 497 miles and is aiming to equip the new SUV with a 120kW battery.

Depending on the number of electric motors onboard, Aehra says the SUV could have an output of between 550 and 600kW.

With a three-metre long wheelbase, the Aehra SUV will take the form of a super sleek EV, featuring a low front end and short front and rear overhangs.

Upfront the SUV gets a number of headlight signatures, with slim LED lighting strips complements those on the edges of the lower air vents.

Aehra says the SUV uses a cab-forward monobody construction to allow for greater aerodynamic efficiency and to reduce drag, while also promoting battery and brake cooling.

In keeping with the striking design, Aehra has added front and rear upward-opening doors, which they say aids ingress and egress to the vehicle. Active aerodynamics with movable elements will feature at both the front and rear of the Aerha SUV.

Speaking at a press briefing in Milan, CEO Nada said the firm has focused on using recycled, composite materials for the exterior. The body itself will be made from recycled carbon fibre SMC where moulds are used to create bespoke body panels. The carbon fibre parts are 20-50 per cent lighter than aluminium, according to Aehra.

The Aehra’s interior remains under wraps with the company still developing its final production ready cabin. Nada said that thanks to the cab-forward design, the cabin would be spacious and feature a bigger dashboard, allowing them to implement more sophisticated interfaces and technology.

The EV start-up says it used Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) to create the SUV, which they claim has an accuracy equal to those achieved in wind tunnels. Using this process the firm was able to create the flowing exterior shape.

“With the Aehra SUV, we have shunned the conservative constraints that have encumbered all other car manufacturers in their approach to designing EV vehicles to date,” said Filippo Perini, chief design officer for Aehra.

“We have created a vehicle that goes far beyond the conventional standards set by the automotive industry for an SUV, and sets new benchmarks for style and comfort.

We have used a monobody construction, which, while used widely in Italy in the past, is now normally reserved for supercars only. We have taken an equally radical approach to aerodynamics, which play a central role in the design, driving characteristics and efficiency of the SUV.”

First deliveries for the SUV are expected in 2025, alongside the saloon model. It is not yet known where the Aehra SUV will be assembled, but Nada hinted a number of regions, including Italy, could produce the EV.

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