Getting a product name just right is a tricky balance. Brandwatch, a consumer intelligence and social media management company, has five rules for naming new products. The name has to be readable and writable; it has to be unique. It should be short and punchy, and it helps if it looks good written down.
In the automotive industry, the fifth rule is the most important. It says that a name should evoke an emotion, feeling or idea. Opportunities to name new vehicles, and entire lines of new products, are now coming faster than ever with a waterfall of new electric products from automakers near and far.
When naming a vehicle, there are three options: alphanumerics, numerics, or names. Mercedes-Benz is famous for using alphanumerics like S 580 and GLS 580 for its big sedan and SUV, as is Audi with its A6, S7 and R8. Their cross-country rival BMW previously used straight numerics like 318 and 530, but now adds letters like "i" or letter-word combinations like "xDrive" behind them.
American automakers, mostly, stick with words like Mustang and Challenger, Durango and Silverado.
But naming gets messy, especially with EVs. Ford Motor Co. took heat when it added the Mustang name to its Mach-E electric SUV. "Mustang means American independence and freedom of spirit. And Mach means fast. It's an E, good for everybody," Ted Cannis, former global director of Battery Electric Vehicles, said at the time. Darren Palmer, VP of electric vehicles, wanted to figure out what name would excite people about an EV, he came up with Mustang.
The Chevrolet Volt was a succinct, thematic choice for the brand. But when Chevrolet debuted the Bolt EV, it caused audible confusion between the models.
Porsche, when debuting its first EV, went with the name Taycan. The Turkish-origin name can be roughly translated as "soul of a spirited young horse." Porsche said it wanted its first EV to be, "lively, impetuous, vigorous, light-footed on long stretches without tiring, and free-spirited."
"Porsche has a long history of iconic model designations, and we are 100 percent committed to maintain that element of the Porsche brand," Deniz Keskin, Porsche Director Brand Management and Partnerships told Newsweek, noting that alphanumerics were never an option for its EV.
"Since the Taycan was a completely new vehicle concept, it was clear that we would not create an electric sub-brand but a dedicated model name. Model designations fulfill a very important role for us. They are both helping with orientation, but they are also creating emotional identification," he said.
Nissan also went to the history books to name its new electric crossover.
"The name Ariya name traces back to historical times and is meant to exemplify respect and admiration. In the context of the Nissan Ariya, the name represents strength, purpose and the vehicle's mission to provide a more confident, more exciting and more connected driving experience," Jeff Wandell, manager, Nissan CUVs and EVs communications told Newsweek.
Alphanumerics eventually get long, and though descriptive, lose any sex appeal a shorter name might give, for instance the 2023 BMW i4 eDrive35 or the X3 xDrive30e. Numbers used to denote engine size, and therefore prestige, as well as whether or not the vehcile has all-wheel drive.
As engines get smaller and vehicles without them come to market, automakers have adjusted their formulas.
Cadillac started its electric naming journey with the Lyriq SUV using the letters "IQ" at the end. It kept that structure for its flagship Celestiq, though that one is a little harder to pronounce. When the new full-size electric Escalade was introduced in May the company didn't smash IQ in, and instead kept the long-standing nameplate as is, creating the Escalade IQ.
"In 2019 we were looking down the pipeline and seeing there was going to be a full line of EVs. So, we needed a naming convention that was going to cradle all that," Phil Dauchy, Cadillac global head of brand strategy told Newsweek.
"Then we looked at the product and it was going to be a major step change for the brand, taking on an entirely new design language. And the cars were going to be more upgradable. They were going to provide more of a personal and predictive experience. They were going to be the tip of the spear for the company in terms of new and advanced technologies," he said.
Cadillac didn't consider using alphanumerics for its new EVs for several reasons, even though that naming convention has the advantage of easily and broadly communicating the size and style of a vehicle in an inoffensive, non-controversial way.
"IQ really stood out for what we were trying to do from an engineering standpoint, and from a design standpoint, and from a portfolio standpoint. Of course, IQ stands for intelligent quotient, which is the human's ability to reason. So that was sort of the germination and the rationale going into the naming scheme," said Dauchy.
From IQ to EQ, which is Mercedes' name for its line of electric cars and SUVs. The company says it means intelligent electric mobility. "EQ represents the two Mercedes-Benz brand values of emotion and intelligence" and comprises all significant aspects of customer-oriented electric mobility," it said when it launched the brand.
It's a tricky balance, getting a name right. Only time will tell which ones have staying power and which ones, again, get readjusted.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Jake Lingeman is the Managing Editor for the Autos team at Newsweek. He has previously worked for Autoweek, The Detroit ... Read more
