The last time Caterham attempted to make a sports car with an enclosed cab didn’t go as planned, as the C120 was eventually scrapped. Renault bought the project and later created the mid-engined Alpine A110 coupe to battle the Porsche 718 Cayman while the British marque continued exclusively with open-top vehicles. A new two-seater which could also have a roof but no heat engine is currently under study.
Caterham CEO Bob Laishley broke the news in an interview with Coach during which he said an electric vehicle would complement the Seven rather than replace it. The big boss went on to say that it would be more attractive and modern than the traditional sports car. If given the green light for production, the model will be built on a dedicated electric car platform with a rear-wheel-drive setup.
28 Pictures
In an ideal scenario, Laishley says the two-seat electric vehicle weighs less than 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds) and offers what he calls 20-15-20 performance. What he means by that is that you get 20 minutes of spirited driving around a race track on a full charge before recharging the battery for 15 to have another try for 20 minutes. If Caterham can’t offer that with an electric counterpart to the Seven, the company boss says it’s not even worth launching the vehicle.
The backbone of the electric vehicle is expected to be a spatial steel structure combined with a lightweight aluminum or carbon fiber body. Caterham’s electric sports car is being considered with front and rear shells and Laishley suggests it could have a roof. It’s too early to tell if he was referring to a coupe with a fixed panel, a targa roof or a different configuration.
A hybrid powertrain has previously been ruled out because it would add weight, with Laishley saying having two separate powertrains would be an “awful compromise”. Regarding the EV, Coach speculates it won’t hit the road until around 2028. In the meantime, the Caterham 7 is sticking to combustion engines even though a ban on the sale of new ICE-powered cars in the UK will come into force in 2030 (five years earlier than in the EU). Laishley said demand from export markets is strong enough.
The last time Caterham attempted to make a sports car with an enclosed cab didn’t go as planned, as the C120 was eventually scrapped. Renault bought the project and later created the mid-engined Alpine A110 coupe to battle the Porsche 718 Cayman while the British marque continued exclusively with open-top vehicles. A new two-seater which could also have a roof but no heat engine is currently under study.
Caterham CEO Bob Laishley broke the news in an interview with Coach during which he said an electric vehicle would complement the Seven rather than replace it. The big boss went on to say that it would be more attractive and modern than the traditional sports car. If given the green light for production, the model will be built on a dedicated electric car platform with a rear-wheel-drive setup.
28 Pictures
In an ideal scenario, Laishley says the two-seat electric vehicle weighs less than 700 kilograms (1,543 pounds) and offers what he calls 20-15-20 performance. What he means by that is that you get 20 minutes of spirited driving around a race track on a full charge before recharging the battery for 15 to have another try for 20 minutes. If Caterham can’t offer that with an electric counterpart to the Seven, the company boss says it’s not even worth launching the vehicle.
The backbone of the electric vehicle is expected to be a spatial steel structure combined with a lightweight aluminum or carbon fiber body. Caterham’s electric sports car is being considered with front and rear shells and Laishley suggests it could have a roof. It’s too early to tell if he was referring to a coupe with a fixed panel, a targa roof or a different configuration.
A hybrid powertrain has previously been ruled out because it would add weight, with Laishley saying having two separate powertrains would be an “awful compromise”. Regarding the EV, Coach speculates it won’t hit the road until around 2028. In the meantime, the Caterham 7 is sticking to combustion engines even though a ban on the sale of new ICE-powered cars in the UK will come into force in 2030 (five years earlier than in the EU). Laishley said demand from export markets is strong enough.