Blake Rabodzeenko

Project Concept:

The idea behind this design arose from a personal interest in exploring and developing in three major areas.

1) Learning Blender's capabilities and wanting to improve my 3D modeling, animation and rendering skills with a single project.

2) Developing my understanding of what goes into the process of creating a shape language for an object by tackling it in one of the most challenging products.

3) A desire to see a more expressive and organic kind of shape that European sports cars mastered in their coach building, but for an American electric car.

From these major areas of focus I worked over the course of a year on making a fantasy, electric coupe I dubbed
Zeta E-1.

INITIAL CONCEPT

I liked this three-wheel form for a while because I believed the design should take heavy inspiration from both planes and motorcycles.

In these renders I was looking at 50's aircraft for the "cockpit" and products made to appear "rugged" for the front and exposed metal areas to contrast the yellow sheet covering.

This was a place to start, but I didn't want to stay long at 2000's Beetle.

REFINEMENT phase I

Now I was attempting to refine the design by leaning into the almost retro/streamline aesthetic. When I was not adding horizontal accent lines to everything, better materials and environments were.

Adding a complex door opening sequence, using the pill-shaped side accents as a place to hide the hinge point, and a compartment for extra storage space.

REFINEMENT phase II

Panels to cover some of the rear internals while accentuating others.

Another stage to render on.

Thankfully, all the benefits of four wheels (stability and thus safety) would soon convince me to adjust the chassis to suit a quad configuration.

FINAL design

In the final, four-wheeled design I brought the wheels closer together and enclosed many of the housings and engine components, only letting them be glimpsed from certain angles.

Here I attempted to take the "rugged" and organic inspirations and unify them into a smooth exterior with views inside to the geometrical components to create an object that grants you chances to see both worlds working together.

In the two renders below the exposed fuel cell area is highlighted by the blue glowing circle accent. The panels covering this area (as seen above) would force air to pass into here, cooling the components while still giving a chance to peek into the "engine" area.