Caterham has announced plans to enter the electric vehicle space and will do so by providing an all-electric version of its Seven car model. This car would be only 70 kg heavier than the regular Seven, and will therefore weigh less than 700 kg in total, while still achieving the 20-15-20 promise, which means 20 minutes of track time, 15 minutes of charging and then another 20 minutes on the track.
The car will also be road legal, and Caterham has noted that it can already build a car capable of a “Sunday morning drive”, but plans to also make a car you want to race around the local track, which means it needs a more powerful and efficient battery and electric motor system, said to be manufactured by Swindon Powertrain Ltd.
Bob Laishley, CEO of Caterham, said: “Any future EV model we produce must be true to the DNA of a Caterham: lightweight, fun to drive and driver-focused. The main goal of this project is to develop a vehicle with a weight delta of no more than the equivalent of having a passenger on board. We’re never going to launch a one-ton Seven – we’d rather not.”
We are told that this car will offer a maximum output of 240 hp, a maximum torque of 250 Nm, will have a 51 kWh battery pack that is immersion-cooled and can recharge quickly when connected to direct current, allowing the EV Seven to clock out at 130 mph and reach 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds.
The car will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July, and as for when it will begin shipping and be available to consumers, Caterham did not specifically mention that. The automaker did add that it has a second all-electric sports car concept in the works to be unveiled later this year.