Zac Quinn 
The future of automotive design looks even more innovative than a month ago. Stellantis has just announced the three young designers recently selected as the finalists in the 11th annual Stellantis Drive for Design Competition. The competition allowed high schoolers to show off their creative skills by penning a future Ram REV electric truck design, and to gain a chance to dive into the epic career path of automotive design.
Stellantis Drive for Design: Details
Grand-prize winner Rocco Morales is a previous Drive for Design contest winner who finished first in 2022 and second in 2021. Morales, a 12th grader from Michigan, submitted a design for the Ram Stadion, which would “create a new segment of pickup trucks.” In Morales’ winning design, a competent off-road machine could easily transform into a relaxing place to hang out with stadium seating and a deployable canopy. It sounds like a great way to relax after a day of off-roading. Morales’ grand prize includes a summer internship at the Ram Truck Exterior Design Studio and a Wacom MobileStudio Pro 16 tablet.
Just looking at the wins that Rocco Morales has under his belt over the last two years, three including this one, it’s clear that he has a bright future ahead of him, which coincidentally is something Mark Trostle, head of Ram Truck and Mopar exterior design for Stellantis also stated. This year’s contest challenged students in grades 10-12 to sketch the next-generation Ram EV truck. The creative submissions revealed brand-new concepts and a glimpse into the minds of up-and-coming designers.
Rohan Seiber, a 10th grader from California, and Benjamin Miller, an 11th grader from Michigan, rounded out the top-three finishers in this year’s contest. Seiber’s Ram Rex truck “reimagines the TRX to be the ultimate go-anywhere, do-anything full-size electric pickup truck.” The design includes a configurable bed platform, unique exterior lighting, and an external rail system. Miller’s Ram Ultima is built around a modular design allowing the owner to add more power and traction as needed. Both Seiber and Miller will be awarded an Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, a Virtual Day of Design portfolio review with members of the Stellantis Design Team, and a scholarship to the College for Creative Studies’ four-week summer program.
If you’re interested in checking out the other top submissions in this year’s contest, visit the Stellantis Drive For Design website, there’s some pretty cool stuff there.
