A new electric sports-car from niche UK firm Caterham is due to be unveiled next month.
Caterham has released a teaser image for its upcoming electric sports-car, known as Project V, as part of its ongoing efforts in the electric vehicle segment.
This new model follows the recently unveiled EV Seven concept, but unlike the track-focused EV Seven, Project V is designed as a road-going sports-car with an electric drivetrain. Setting it apart from Caterham’s lightweight petrol-powered models of the past, Project V features a roof and doors.
It is not the first time that Caterham has explored the concept of a traditional road sports-car. Past examples include the short-lived Caterham 21 from the 1990s, which featured a Seven-based platform with full bodywork, as well as the more recent CSR model which has been available with a wider chassis.
In 2016, another Caterham coupe concept called C120 was revealed as a stillborn competitor to the Alpine A110 sports-coupe.
Although Project V is not expected to be as light as the conventional petrol-powered Caterham models, which typically weigh around 500kg, the inclusion of heavy lithium-ion batteries may result in the new electric sports-car weighing approximately double that figure. Nevertheless, even at around one tonne, Project V remains relatively lightweight compared to some other electric vehicles on the market.
The powertrain details of Project V have not been disclosed yet, and Caterham is still in the process of finalising its technology partnership. The EV Seven, for reference, employs a 179kW electric motor with a 40kWh usable battery sourced from Swindon Powertrain Ltd, another UK-based company.
Financially backed by Japanese company VT Holdings which acquired Caterham in 2021, Project V has the potential to be one of the first electric sports-cars to break through into the new segment.
However, Caterham’s new creation will face competition from other upcoming electric sports-car concepts and production models, such as Alpine’s E-ternite concept, the recently revealed MG Cyberster and Porsche’s electrified versions of the Cayman and Boxster models.
Caterham is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, with a countdown clock on the company’s website indicating the Project V concept will be revealed on 11-July-2023.
The post Caterham Project V teased as new electric sports-car appeared first on Drive.
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