Beauty is very subjective, and what someone will find beautiful someone else will find ugly, or just "meh". There's nothing scientific about it, or even very serious, but here are some eco-cars that we might like in some way or another, but that look like they fell off the ugly tree. Why does this matter? To some it doesn't, but to a mainstream audience, it does more often than not, and if we want greener alternatives to replace dirty ones, they need to be at least as attractive (if not more!).
Then again, I wouldn't mind driving around in this car if George Clooney were an accessory! Link -Thanks, chris tackett!
personally, i feel like often, radical car designs are strongly disliked by many people. i think that this area of design more than many has this problem. maybe because i am a designer, i appreciate the effort and the thought process that goes into these designs, and often like them.
in the past i have been very shocked to comment on a new interesting car design "wow that's neat" and somebody i know, who i don't think of as being very conservative will respond "yuck, that thing looks terrible"
this is probably why 99% of car models look exactly like every other banal model already in production.
certain elements do manage to change and evolve however slowly but rarely are models exciting. i am really proud of car companies who do innovate. scion has done pretty well with it's odd xa. the aztec was famously hated but rather bold in small ways.
I personally find nearly all cars ugly. Their composition is always at odd with their wheels. So odd and so injurious with their superabundance of pollutants. Yuck.
but idk about this picture..
http://www.ecomobile.com/
small engine fast n sexy. it also has out rigger wheels so is upright at low speeds.
And here's the current updated model
http://www.monotracer.com/press/pdf/Monotracer1-12.pdf