With so many electric vehicle startups and the success of Tesla, there are bound to be lots of electric-minded entrepreneurs looking for similar pots of gold. Rivian, Lordstown, Polestar-they’re coming from everywhere. And yet, there are even more popping up including this latest. The Alpha Motor Corporation has unveiled the ACE Coupe which to us looks like an electric cartoon car. But will this sell?

It’s a quirky, cartoon character, oddly compelling EV

It’s a quirky, cartoon character, oddly compelling EV is set to hit the electric market-well, we don’t know when. It says there will be variants of ACE “in the coming months.” Alpha calls it the “quintessential urban electric vehicle set to transform zero-emission mobility.” 

Maybe it would make more sense to see what Alpha thinks is the market for this type of car. Alpha says, “The Ace Coupe is for consumers who desire a sleek ride with the versatility, energy efficiency, and environmental friendliness of an electric vehicle.” So should we take it that the Coupe is designed more in keeping with what consumers want than, say, an electric Ferrari? Or electric Bentley?

“Ace is a departure from contemporary automotive and places emphasis on mobility for the user. Alpha is rethinking automobiles for the sake of innovation that moves humanity. Ace was created from the perspective of technology that empowers individuals and their lifestyles.” Alpha goes on to say that it wants to champion consumers and businesses based on “renewable, recyclable, and replaceable.”

What does the styling say about their intent and the product itself?

Far be it from MotorBiscuit to question the company’s motives or motivation. But here’s the thing, the vehicle looks different from all other electric vehicles. Right? So, what does the styling say about their intent and the product itself? It doesn’t line up that to be all of the noble things Alpha says is behind the Ace Coupe results in the Ace Coupe. So we want to know why it is designed to look like a cartoon car for us. 

The reason we ask is that to know the motivation behind the design helps to align buyers to the message and design. And right now the message seems to be “we’re making an electric car that looks like it came from a 1960s cartoon because…” And that is what we want, because why? They designed it like this-we want to know why. 

At first, it looks silly. Most buyers don’t want to stand out because their car looks like a cartoon. Just as most people would not wear clown makeup. It makes them the focus of attention and maybe not in a good way. The clown makeup looks odd and silly and not something that blends into Main Street USA on a Tuesday afternoon. Or any time for that matter.

Those cars exude a certain message that seems contrary

That goes for the Ace Coupe. Many would feel proud and empowered pulling up to whatever in an electric Corvette. Or a black Lexus sedan. Those cars exude a certain message that seems contrary to what would be perceived from an Ace Coupe. 

Maybe the specifications will overshadow how it looks. But some of those numbers are nowhere to be found. There are some we can latch onto. The 0-60 time is said to be six seconds. The range is 250 miles. Weight is 3,600 lbs. So we are to determine that these middle-of-the-road numbers make for compelling those potential customers “who desire a sleek ride with the versatility, energy efficiency, and environmental friendliness.” 

We’ll stick with what comes out of Alpha headquarters in Irvine, California, to see if they can more clearly define what we are missing after seeing the Alpha Coupe EV car. We hope to give Motorbiscuit fans a compelling accounting of the Ace Coupe. Or, something?