[ELI5] Why do electric cars have a similar shape to regular cars when they don’t need to?

Question

I’ve always wondered why electric cars are designed to resemble regular cars so closely, even though they don’t require the same components like the internal combustion engine. It seems like this would be an opportunity to create a more practical and efficient design. Can someone explain why electric cars are shaped the way they are?

In: 7

Answer 1

The design of petrol cars already pretty much is the most practical and efficient design we can make in terms of safety, aerodynamics and human-usability and different type of engine won’t change that.

To specifically answer the point about the engine, electric cars still have a long “nose” for aerodynamics and to provide a crumble zone for the passengers in the event of head-on collision.

Not to say that literally nothing is different about electric vehicles. In example the heavy batteries are placed in the floor to create a lower center of gravity than with petrol cars.