The Car Design Event 2025 (CDE 2025) came to a close after an intense week of events and discussions at the Drivers & Business Club in Munich between the industry’s design and bodybuilders, suppliers and educational institutions from the automotive industry. Topics included the future of mobility, new vehicle designs and concepts, creativity and storytelling, artificial intelligence in transport design and the evolution of user interface and experience (UI/UX).
The new Slate brand made its European debut at the Car Design Event. Slate is a new American company that wants to address the problem that many people can no longer afford a new car. To do so is the Slate electric pickup truck that is capable of transforming itself into an SUV in just a few moves. Slate uses a business model that simplifies the production process and removes unnecessary content to reduce costs and increase reliability. Tisha Johnson, Slate’s chief designer, spoke of the new model’s features, including “unlimited customisation”, “you can bring your own technology on board”, and it is designed to be an “EV for everyone”.
The European brand Yugo made its debut at CDE 2025, presenting a concept car that anticipates the styling direction of a future production car. Yugo is headed by Aleksandar Bjelić, an entrepreneur, engineer and university professor who has worked as an executive in the automotive industry for almost two decades. The model’s design is the work of Serbian designer Darko Marčeta. Like the original Yugo, the new model will be very affordable. Initially it will be launched with combustion engines, while electrified versions and different body versions are planned for the future. Next steps for the Yugo will be the announcement of a sports derivation. Also unveiled for the first time in Europe is the Genesis X Gran Convertible concept, first unveiled at the last Seoul Motor Show.
A further surprise was the presentation of Lamborghini’s V12 Vision Gran Turismo concept, painted for the first time in the striking colour orange (Arancio Egon). Volkswagen was present with the ID concept. Every1, which anticipates an affordable electric model, while Kia brought the EV2 concept, featuring a highly innovative interior. Hyundai presented the Initium concept, which anticipates the next-generation hydrogen-powered Nexo. Other exhibits included the Pagani Utopia hypercar and the hybrid-powered Corvette E-Ray, presented by Chevrolet’s global chief designer Phil Zak.
Dominik Anders, a Transportation Design student from the Munich Hochschule, presented his project supported by Hyundai, the Munich-based design studio Apostrophe Design and Vizcom, a technology company dealing with AI tools to improve design processes. Car Design Event partners also included Alcantara with CEO Eugenio Lolli, Bridge of Weir Leather, chief designer Tanno Weeda of Dutch superyacht builder Feadship and Siemens. Promoting cooperation between design schools, the automotive industry and the media, the Car Design Event 2025 hosted teachers and students from four different schools: Hochschule München, Hochschule Pforzheim, Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) Torino and Hochschule Hof.
