Skoda appoints Nio designer to shape new minimalist interiors

Ex-Nio interior designer Chan Park has joined to shape the cabins for the Czech brand’s next generation of EVs.

A graduate of the Royal College of Art in London, Park spent time at Pininfarina, ,  and  before joining in 2021.

In his capacity as the Chinese EV brand’s chief interior designer, Park was most recently responsible for designing the characteristically minimalist and tech-centric cockpit for the new ET9 flagship SUV. 

Headline features of the new crossover’s interior include a luxurious four-seat arrangement modelled on private jets, a modular central workspace in the rear, a distinctive vertically split glass roof and a dashboard that eschews physical controls for a predominantly touch- and voice-operated control interface, as is custom in Nio cars.

Prior to joining Nio, Park had a hand in the cockpit of the , which similarly majors on digital functionality and is predominantly controlled using a touchscreen.

That minimalist approach is markedly different to that which has come to be expected of Skoda, which has historically touted the benefits of physical switches and buttons, in line with a dual focus on ease of use and comfort. 

As testament to this emphasis on analogue utility, Skoda has equipped its new Superb and Kodiaq flagship models with a row of ‘Smart Dials’ for adjusting the climate control, audio and other core functions, mimicking traditional rotary devices but with inbuilt screens for a more modern look.

Park’s track record with more overtly premium and tech-centric car brands would seem at odds with this approach, but Skoda design boss Oliver Stefani said he is “excited to see him implement his less-is-more design philosophy, perfectly aligning aesthetics and functionality in our vehicles”.

Park replaces Peter Olah, who was appointed head of interior design in late 2020 and will now move into a new role leading Skoda’s One Design Identity strategy.