Lincoln says it will launch four all-new fully electric models by 2026 that will draw inspiration from the brand’s Star Concept SUV, which it revealed this week in Los Angeles as a showcase for the company’s new design language.
Off the top, the Star Concept’s shape resembles that of the current Aviator, which is a compliment. As much as there are some design elements in this concept car that won’t make it into a production model, we can see how easy it would be for Lincoln to riff on this design study to create its new EV offerings. In fact, it’s not a stretch to think the next-generation Aviator could look a lot like this.
Lincoln says the first three of those EVs will make up more than half the company’s global volume by 2025, and that share will go up with the arrival of the fourth model the following year.
The Lincoln Star Concept makes extensive use of lighting, with an illuminated logo on the front and backlit doors and seats. That, the company says, contributes to the cabin’s premium experience, which includes wraparound lounge seating (how many people would actually use front seats that swivel to face the rear?), a cooler between the rear seats, storage for devices and slippers (!), and controls for the Star Concept’s rejuvenation mood settings.
A- and D-pillars fashioned from 3D-printed, see-through latticework may not make it into production, but the mostly glass roof and the digital display spanning the width of the dash probably will.
As we’ve already seen Lincoln’s Ford parent company do with the F-150 Lightning electric pickup, the Star Concept has a front cargo area where a gas engine would normally be. Lincoln says the floor under the trunk flows into the cabin, and the trunk lid is made of electrochromic glass to let in light while you’re driving but turns opaque to hide valuables while the car is parked. Strangely, Lincoln’s press release doesn’t mention the drawer that apparently slides out of the front trunk.
In the rear, the bottom half of the tailgate opens into an outdoor lounge seat with a backrest, something Land Rover already offers in its latest Range Rover.
Lincoln doesn’t mention any technical specifics about its forthcoming EVs, but does say they will take advantage of a flexible battery-electric architecture with rear- and all-wheel drivetrains. Also, a new Lincoln Intelligence System will allow forward-looking technology like vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle to infrastructure (V2I), and advanced driver assistance features called Help Me See and Park for Me.
