The Chery QQ E Spresso Thinks the Best Sports Cars Should Bring People Together
By Hugo Mattson August 6, 2026
The Chery QQ E Spresso combines compact sports car styling with the social atmosphere of café culture and Cars & Coffee events.
A modular rear utility hub transforms the car into a mobile meeting point inspired by an espresso bar.
The concept by John Jungtaek Cho was selected among the Top 50 entries in the 2026 Chery Automobile Design Award.
Most concept vehicles are created to look ahead.
They introduce various kinds of battery innovations and technologies for self-driving cars, as well as beautiful digital interiors. But from time to time, there is a project that has a much simpler question. What if a car could unite people? That is the core idea of John Jungtaek Cho's Chery QQ E Spresso, which was one of the Top 50 projects in the 2026 Chery Automobile Design Award.
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The project does not aim to change the engineering of the car but rather to highlight the quality that has been lost by many modern vehicles – the ability to turn into a comfortable place for people to hang out. The idea of the QQ E Spresso is that instead of only being a means of transport, the car is perceived as a cafe, a sports car and a public place at the same time.
Designed Around the Cars and Coffee Generation
Anyone who has attended one of the Cars and Coffee events knows that the cars are only one element of the attraction. Owners arrive early, park side by side, and discuss topics such as design, engineering, alterations and traveling for hours. Some even hardly drive before they arrive there since they simply enjoy chatting. The QQ E Spresso takes this well-known scene and creates another whole concept around it.
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Cho describes the project as “infinite canvas for community-based lifestyle” culminating in inspiring examples of café racer culture and modern coffee gatherings. The vehicle influences the up-building of the experience from the time of arrival. It is not unusual thinking considering the sports car idea. The automotive community has always been established in the same way whether it is a workshop, café by the roadside or Sunday meet.
The Rear of the Car Does the Talking
The uniqueness of the idea rests in the back of the vehicle. Unlike the traditional use of the rear as mere luggage space, Cho decided to convert it into a multifunctional utility base inspired by the design of an espresso bar counter. Therefore, as soon as the vehicle stops, its rear part turns into a space where the owner prepares coffee, displays equipment for making drinks or has a chat with friends.
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This out-of-the-box solution allows for a clear understanding of the concept without referring to some high-tech achievements. Most concept vehicles need multiple explanations for their purposes to become clear. The QQ E Spresso is different. You just need to look at the back part of this vehicle to realize that it is a vehicle aimed at promoting people having rest rather than traveling. Whether parked near the ocean, on the top of the mountain, or at a gathering spot with friends, this car becomes more than just an object to observe from afar.
A Fresh Take on the Third Space
Urban planners refer to cafés, parks, and libraries as "third spaces" because it refers to space occupied in addition to home and work locations. Similarly, the QQ E Spresso applies the same concept to automobile design. While a car typically serves as a private mode of transport, it can also now serve as a public space where people come together no matter where it is parked.
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This approach is quite relevant nowadays when cities are getting denser and young consumers' preference is shifting towards experience over car ownership. The QQ E Spresso takes a unique approach to the challenge which is different from other practices. Noticeably, it does not focus on digital features.
Compact Doesn't Mean Limited
The QQ E Spresso goes against the notion of large lifestyle vehicles because of its relatively small structure. It shows how clever packaging can lead to innovations that are typically found in larger cars. The idea here is not to have the biggest carrying capacity, but to use space inovatively. This idea of compactness goes hand in hand with current trends in urban mobility.
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Small electric vehicles become ever more significant given that cities face issues related to congestion, parking shortages and shifts in ownership behavior. Instead of seeing these problems as barriers, the QQ E Spresso incorporates them into the design process. Such small size makes this idea more plausible as compared to its application in a big SUV or a top-class sedan.
More Than a Styling Exercise
While concept vehicles may not see the light of day after an exhibition, those that manage to trigger discussion are worth mentioning. The QQ E Spresso perfectly fits this definition. Even though its modular rear hospitality set may never be manufactured as is, the ideas behind it could offer trends for automotive designs in the future, considering the fact that the development of electric vehicles leads to their increasing similarity both in terms of technology and performance.
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This means that new ways should be found to create a unique appearance of cars. Innovative vehicles that promote social interaction is one of these possible ways. Design competitions produce projects that show how valuable they are for the industry, showing how young designers try to challenge the traditional concepts through the ideas that cannot be realized in production due to restrictions related to the cost and technologies used for processes.
Looking Beyond the Drive
A unique concept does not depend on the excess application of technology. The QQ E Spresso does not aim to guess the future technological evolution prospects of self-driving cars. Instead, it runs toward something more apparent and straightforward: the events that occur once the trip is completed. This is why John Jungtaek Cho’s design is so memorable. Among the Top 50 submissions to the 2026 Chery Automobile Design Competition, the QQ E Spresso presents the idea of cars as a social phenomena, which existed even before the Internet was born, with car enthusiasts meeting in cafes, workshops, garages, and on the routes.
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The new concept offers a modern take on this time-honored notion. Whether the modular coffee station will ever be manufactured is almost beside the point. What is more essential is that the sports cars of the future will be evaluated not only by their driving performance, but also by their ability to bring people together. Sometimes the most interesting ideas are not the discoveries in the automobile industry. They rather remind us of why we liked automobiles in the beginning.
Connect with JOHN JUNGTAEK CHO
To explore more of JOHN JUNGTAEK CHO’s work, including ongoing projects and portfolio highlights, you can follow or connect with him on the following platforms:
