Icona Nucleus 2018

Designers: Icona Design Group, Torino (TO), Italy
Manufacturer: Icona Design Group, Torino (TO), Italy

Nucleus represents the synthesis of futurism and a human-centered mindset. It takes the Icona Neo Concept one step further by reconsidering the very way that we use a vehicle. Neo introduced us to tomorrow, Nucleus will introduce us to after-tomorrow. The Icona Nucleus embodies Icona’s vision for the future of mobility. First seen in 2015, the Icona Neo concept demonstrated a very tangible tomorrow for the electric vehicle. With its fully autonomous driving level five, the Nucleus jumps two generations ahead. Inside the vehicle, the absence of a driver does not only mean the absence of a steering wheel and a dashboard, but the opportunity for a new understanding of mobile living spaces, where the focus is no longer the road but the destination. Technology should be felt but not seen and so a “less is more approach” has been used, resulting in a fluid and sculptural body that combines the needs of both aerodynamics and ergonomics. Beyond its technological innovation, Nucleus also shows us the future for the next generation of cars. A generation that aspires to be socially responsible through respect not only for the natural environment but also for the human environment.

Mobility in after-tomorrow will be very different from today, with a large number of shared, self- driving, electric vehicles which will serve as individual or small group shuttles between mass mobility infrastructure and large hub destinations. Yet, the future will remain multi-faceted and cars will continue to reflect our needs as well as Icona Nucleus, the ultimate self-driving living room express our individuality. With a fully autonomous self-driving car, we can make so much more use of it than the current family car: it will take you to the airport, come back to pick up the kids from school then later take the grandparents to a doctor’s appointment. The car will spend much less time parked, and will be much more usefully employed on the road. One car will replace several cars, and by nature will be an excellent place to be: its use and versatility will be directly reflected in the multiple possibilities of its interior design.