Wheel hub form for new energy vehicles (NEVs) is undergoing significant changes that may affect consumers’ aesthetic and emotional preferences. However, there is still a lack of research in this area. This paper aims to investigate consumers’ aesthetic and emotional preferences for NEVs wheel hub shape design and provide valuable insights for automotive designers and manufacturers. The study first collected and processed a series of wheel hub images, from which design experts selected 34 representative samples and identified key features. Through literature analysis and expert interviews, Kansei words related to consumer sentiment were identified as perceptual factors. Subsequently, a semantic difference questionnaire was constructed to investigate users’ Kansei evaluation and preference for NEVS wheel hubs. Finally, multiple linear regression and Pearson correlation analysis were used to process the collected data to elucidate consumers’ emotional preferences and styling expectations of NEVS wheel hubs. The study results show that the wheel hub design with decoration significantly enhances consumers’ emotional experience and liking. At the same time, the hollow area does not have a significant effect on emotional preference. Consumers preferred wheel hubs with a sense of fashion, luxury, and technology, and no significant differences were found in the preferences for fragility and solidity. The sense of eco-friendly shows a particular trend in consumer preference, but the related design elements are not prominent. This study provides an important consumer orientation for the design of NEVS wheel hubs, emphasizing the importance of incorporating emotional experience and aesthetic value in the design process to meet the diverse needs of modern consumers.