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At Munro & Associates, we’ve had the pleasure of evaluating some of the most innovative electric vehicles on the market. But every so often, a vehicle surfaces that forces us to ask: How is this even possible? That’s exactly the question we found ourselves asking as we revisited the interior of the Imperium Skywell. Acquired following a showcase at the LA Auto Show, the EV had been quietly parked for years at our facility. A vehicle with a sticker price of just $30,000, the Skywell offers an intriguing perspective on how cost-effective manufacturing and design decisions can yield a surprisingly refined product.
While most EVs we’ve torn down fall between the $50,000 and $60,000 range—some stretching well beyond that—the Skywell stands out as a curious outlier. So we decided to take a deeper look at its interior to uncover how it stacks up against its more expensive peers. And, more importantly, how it manages to deliver so much at such a modest price.
A Premium Feel at an Entry-Level Price
From the moment you enter the cabin, it’s clear the Skywell is aiming for more than just basic functionality. You’ll find faux wood grain sweeping from door to door. Chrome accents (though likely painted) adding contrast and drawing the eye. And a range of stitching dancing across the instrument panel and center console. Artificial leather, perforated materials suggesting ventilation or heating, and a sizable center display all give the impression of a vehicle priced much higher.
But dig a little deeper, and you’ll see the clever choices that made this possible. For instance, what appears to be a sewn seam on the instrument panel is actually a thermoformed skin with stitching applied over the top. The real joint seam isn’t sewn at all. Behind that skin is likely a poured foam layer and substrate. This approach requires expensive tooling, but once implemented, it yields an upscale aesthetic at lower recurring costs.
Smart Integration and Design Simplicity
One standout example of intelligent cost reduction is in the design of the door’s switch plate surround, which also functions as the pull cup—all in a single molded component. Where other manufacturers might use three or four separate pieces (each with its own fastening or snap-together challenges), Skywell’s design choice minimizes complexity without sacrificing style. Small decisions like these, replicated across the vehicle, help keep the final sale price down significantly.
The vehicle’s air vent styling is another great case in point. Rather than placing four distinct vents around the cabin, Skywell extends the visual style of the vents from A-pillar to A-pillar, with functional vents only at the ends. This streamlined approach not only modernizes the look but may also save on costs tied to more complex tooling or assembly steps.
Even decisions around panel design, such as using vacuum-formed panels with soft-touch finishes or utilizing thermoform over injection molding where possible, contribute to this balance between affordability and appeal.
A Familiar Luxury Aesthetic
The interior carries design cues reminiscent of high-end models. Take, for example, the center console’s tambour door finish. This is something you might see in an $80,000 Polestar, albeit with different materials. The Skywell’s matte finish isn’t piano black, but it delivers a similar aesthetic without the drawbacks of fingerprint-prone glossy plastic.
The sun visors, while simple, deserve mention too. They’re padded cloth instead of heat-sealed vinyl, avoiding the sharp edges and synthetic feel that detracted from luxury in some much pricier models we’ve evaluated.
Rear Seat Realities
Rear passenger space and comfort come with a few trade-offs. Legroom and headroom are sufficient, but the seatback design leaves something to be desired. The headrest sits low and would need significant adjustment for taller passengers. Additionally, the sculpted “shoulders” of the rear seats add unnecessary complexity to the foam and vinyl patterning, which increases sewing and trim challenges without clear ergonomic benefit.
Interestingly, Skywell includes map pockets on both front seats—an area where some OEMs choose to cut costs by offering a single pocket on the passenger side only. It’s a small gesture, but it speaks to Skywell’s attempt to balance savings with user expectations.
Features for the Global Market
Some of the vehicle’s design choices suggest considerations for markets where the rear passenger may be the vehicle’s primary occupant—something more common in regions like China or Korea. Features like front seat controls accessible from the rear seat underscore this point, blurring the line between traditional utility and luxury limo-style accommodations.
However, not every feature lands cleanly. For instance, the rear seat doesn’t fold flat, even though it includes a multi-position latch for adjustable recline. This raises questions about why a fold feature exists at all, if a flat load floor isn’t achievable. Similarly, the rear cargo area includes a spring-loaded latch on a removable load floor. It’s an oddly over-engineered solution where a simple D-ring would suffice.
And then there’s the seatback carpet, which appeared wrinkled and poorly fit. While cosmetic, it’s the kind of finish that would typically fail quality checks for North American OEMs.
The Bigger Picture
So, how does Skywell deliver a car like this for just $30,000?
It’s a blend of targeted compromises, cost-effective manufacturing techniques, and smart design simplification. From minimizing part count and using multi-functional components, to choosing less expensive materials that still look and feel upscale, Skywell demonstrates that delivering a feature-rich EV at a lower price is not only possible—it’s already happening.
Yet the vehicle isn’t perfect. Certain elements appear rushed or underdeveloped, as though the team knew what they needed to include, but not always how to execute those ideas in the most refined way. It’s this combination of impressive ambition and occasional missteps that makes the Skywell such a fascinating case study for engineers, designers, and industry analysts alike.
What’s Next?
We’re just scratching the surface here. The Skywell’s exterior and mechanical components are still waiting to be explored. We’re looking forward to tearing it down and getting a clearer picture of how this vehicle was assembled, what trade-offs were made under the skin, and how well it truly holds up against competitors both in price and performance.
Stay tuned for upcoming posts as we go deeper into the teardown of the Skywell. And if you aren’t already, make sure to check back often for more content from the Munro Live team.
The road to affordable EV innovation is just getting started—and this is one ride you don’t want to miss.