Porsche: EV Experience Sports Mode
A research-driven exploration of Porsche’s EV interior experience, balancing cutting-edge digital innovation with Porsche’s analog soul. The project examined how to reduce range anxiety, unify sensory experiences, and preserve the thrill of driving in a rapidly evolving EV market.
Role
UX Designer & Researcher
Date & Duration
2025, made in 10 weeks
Type
Team
Case Study
Porsche Cars North America
Within Porsche’s EV interior experience, the challenge I focused on was the Sports Mode interface. The goal was to design a performance-driven interaction layer that could heighten focus and precision without interfering with Porsche’s established brand identity.
Problem
A redefined EV interior experience that harmonizes physical and digital controls, introduces transparency around range and performance, and creates unified sensory modes. The outcome is a Sports Mode interface that reduces anxiety, enhances control, and preserves Porsche’s timeless driving identity.
Solution
Audience Insights
Primary
First-time Porsche EV buyers
Secondary
Existing Porsche owners considering electric models
EV owners outside the Porsche ecosystem
Tertiary
Research Insights
Completed 9 surveys (160 responses), 30 interviews, 5 competitor benchmarks, Porsche Experience Center field study.
68/100%
Of drivers under 35 want EVs to feel smart and connected.
71/100%
Of loyal Porsche owners fear technology may interfere with driving purity.
62/100%
Prefer a mix of physical and digital controls for trust and precision.
54/100%
Felt Porsche’s digital ecosystem was disconnected from its brand experience.
Visual Language & Design Pillars
1. Sports Mode
Interfaces heighten focus and responsiveness—direct, lean, and purposeful in motion. Every element serves clarity at speed, amplifying control without distraction.
The design bridges Porsche’s analog legacy with its digital future. Physical touchpoints ground the drive, while digital layers extend capability without diluting identity.
2. Heritage Balance
3. Trust Through Touch
Interactions remain tactile, precise, and dependable. Critical functions stay physical for confidence, while digital complements enhance personalization seamlessly.
4. Connected Precision
Technology integrates across devices and contexts with intention. Interfaces anticipate needs without excess, unifying the ecosystem into a clear and cohesive experience.
Key Features
1. Performance HUD
Displays only essential driving data—speed, RPM, range horizon—optimized for quick glances during high-performance driving.
2. Minimal Interface Layer
Non-critical functions fade from view, leaving a clean, distraction-free cockpit where focus remains on the road.
3. Precision Haptics
Physical controls provide immediate tactile feedback, ensuring drivers can adjust without looking away from the drive.
4. Dynamic Visual Cues
Sharp contrasts and high-visibility indicators highlight critical changes—alerts, braking, or power shifts—delivering clarity at speed.
Process
This project was about learning how to work within an existing system and a strong, established brand. The first step was clearly understanding the actual problem, specifically why Porsche’s EVs were not resonating as strongly and what was driving that gap. I personally connected to this challenge as a car enthusiast and a former world-class tennis player, where performance, focus, and emotional feedback are essential. The question became how to find and express emotion using only the levers available, without breaking the brand or introducing unnecessary novelty.
Working within Porsche’s existing design system and visual language meant that every decision had to respect clear constraints. My focus was not on adding features, but on identifying which elements could carry emotion and intent. I thought through what a driver should feel in key moments, how that feeling could be shaped through interaction, and which signals would communicate it clearly. The work was about elevating the experience while keeping EV and gas vehicles part of the same Porsche family.
The key takeaway from this project was adaptability in design thinking. It reinforced my ability to work within established rules, build on a brand’s legacy, and evolve an experience without contradicting what already works. Ultimately, the process became about exploring freedom within limits, using constraints as a way to sharpen decisions rather than restrict them
