ELECTRON is the MFA thesis of
Yee Chan, of the Graduate Media Design
at Art Center College of Design

ELECTRON is a publication designed to cultivate enthusiast culture for the electric-powered automobile. This is not a fan boy magazine for the electric/hybrid car, but a periodical intended to develop electric/hybrid cars into mainstream automotive culture.

The ELECTRON project is inspired by extensive research into existing car culture and "green" car trends. Human-centered research, such as interviews and cultural probes, was implemented and insights were collected to complete the designed piece. A distinct research methodology was discovered from the collected data of existing car culture resulting in the creation of a culture for the green car enthusiast. The magazine introduces a new vocabulary, educates the reader on electric vehicle technology, showcases young green car design talent, features car environmentalist role models, looks at the present and the past of electric/hybrid cars, and speculates on the future of such cars. The project posits a role for the Media Designer as a participant in the creation of car culture.

While most magazines, both online and print, are involved in promoting a popular culture, ELECTRON is
a model in which the magazine is created first to foster a culture that does not yet fully exist. As we usher
in this new era of extreme technological and environmental change, this project measures existing car
culture to predict this future green car culture.

NOTE:
This project defines electric-powered cars as hybrid cars, plug-in hybrid cars, and fully electric cars. EV stands for electric vehicle. A green car is an automobile that is more environmentally friendly than traditional internal combustion cars. Not all green cars are electric-powered cars. Green cars are usually defined by lower CO2 emissions (than internal combustion engined cars) or no CO2 emissions whatsoever.

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©2010 Yee Chan & Art Center College of Design