Bespoke EV confirmed for left-hand drive only as volume forecast is slashed by more than half
Production of the 2024 DeLorean Alpha5 has been slashed from 9351 units to just 4000 due to supply chain bottlenecks – and all of them will be left-hand drive, eliminating any chance of the exotic retro-inspired EV ever being officially available in Australia.
Confirmation of the start-up US car-maker’s altered plans was broken to customers last week via email, while the frequently asked questions section of the DeLorean Alpha5 website now rules out any chances of the electric GT car being built in right-hand drive and therefore sold in markets like Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
“DeLorean plans to offer the Alpha5 in North America, select markets in South America, Europe, select markets in the Middle East and select markets in Asia,” says the company in its FAQ section.
“DeLorean does not plan to offer the Alpha5 in RHD configuration.”
Meantime, overseas reports have quoted DeLorean CEO Joost de Vries as saying the brand only wants to sell as many vehicles as it can guarantee it can build, as opposed to promising the world and delivering nothing.
The 4000 LHD examples of the Alpha5 will be built over the company’s originally planned four-year production run starting in late 2024 and the aspiring US EV brand continues to take reservations – accompanied by a non-refundable $US2500 fee – via its website.
That fee will rise to $US3500 mid-month, before $US500 is added for every 500 subsequent reservations, and there are further strings attached.
Before you can reserve a randomised production slot – and receive a blockchain-powered ‘Digital-Twin’ avatar, digital wallet and flexible reservation – you must pay $US88 for lifetime membership to the Alphas Club, which includes “a variety of exclusive benefits”.
“Once you’ve successfully purchased your production slot on the DeLorean Exchange, DeLorean Flex enables you to transfer, trade or sell your production slot to other Alphas Club members,” said DeLorean.
“Members who are unable to secure a production slot have the ability to purchase one from other Alphas Club members on the DeLorean Exchange.”
Pricing, detailed specifications and production details will all apparently be revealed later this year, but preliminary data released by DeLorean paints an ambitious Porsche Taycan-hunting picture.
As we reported when it was revealed, DeLorean claims the Alpha5 will hit 60mph (97km/h) in a rapid 2.99sec on its way to a top speed of 250km/h.
A 100kWh-plus battery pack and a sleek 0.23Cd drag coefficient are said to result in an EPA range of more than 480km from a single charge, but no data has yet been released about the Alpha5’s charging capabilities.
Production is slated to start in late 2024 and run through to late 2029, pending any delays.
DeLorean said it had originally planned to produce 9351 Alpha5s because “Historically, DeLorean had an alleged production run of 9350 vehicles in the 1980s.
“Our Alpha5 production plan offers a wink to the past, while understanding that limiting production over the planned six-year production run for this new DeLorean icon will assist our future owners with the best possible residual value proposition.”
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Keyword: Born-again DeLorean Alpha5 won’t come to Australia