This electric SUV's cabin is a home theatre on demand. Details here

Italy-based electric vehicle startup Aehra has introduced its first model as an electric SUV. Besides an eye-catching premium coupe-like design, the SUV has a striking feature inside the cabin. It gets a massive infotainment display on the cockpit that can be stretched upward and transform the spacious cabin into a comfy home theatre. The massive screen can be extended upward only when the EV is parked and not running. Clearly, this technology has been developed keeping safety in mind. The EV startup also claims that the cabin can be configured in different modes, which are home theatre, meeting room and lounge.

The massive full-width screen integrates the infotainment, digital instrument cluster and digital mirrors into one display. Once the vehicle is parked, it can be extended upward for different purposes. The automaker hasn't revealed the size of the monitor. But, it appears to come larger than the fold-down 31-inch rear passenger screen available in the new BMW 7-Series. The Milan-based EV startup has already patented this technology. It would also unveil an electric sedan early next year, coming with the same technology. Both the electric SUV and the sedan are slated for deliveries in 2025. Initially, these two EVs will be sold in North America, Europe, China and the Gulf countries.

There is a centre-mounted smaller touchscreen display as well. It allows the driver to access all the controls. The only physical buttons available are the gearbox selector on the floating centre console and the knobs on the yoke-shaped multifunction steering wheel. The steering wheel integrates a digital strip that displays all the important information about the car.

While the current technology doesn't allow the screen to come upward when the vehicle is moving, in autonomous vehicles, it could be possible. The wide display appears a bit similar to Mercedes-Benz's MBUX display, which is also a wide screen combining the touchscreen infotainment system and digital instrument cluster. However, Aehra's massive screen is even bigger and taller than the MBUX.

Aehra's chief design officer Fillippo Perini has said that the SUV has been designed as a true product of the digital age to reflect and accommodate the customers' modern and busy lifestyle. He also said that with the screen fully extended, the occupants could relax and enjoy a movie. "With the screen fully extended, the occupants can relax and enjoy a movie, perhaps when the car is charging or when a parent is waiting to pick up a child from school or a party. And for those who have work to do, the screen and the spacious interior afford the perfect solution for video conference calls. Instead of staring at your smartphone or laptop, you can sit back and not only see all the participants on the call in perfect high-definition clarity, but also listen to them with crystal-clear, pitch-perfect audio quality," he added.