The British sports car manufacturer Caterham has presented the Project V, a lightweight, fully electric coupé concept car, and at the same time held out the prospect of a market launch of the series version for late 2025 or early 2026 at prices under 80,000 pounds.
Unlike the electric version of the Caterham Seven, which the company presented as a concept car in May, Project V was designed as an electric vehicle from the outset. The vehicle deviates strongly from the familiar Caterham concept of the Seven with its free-standing wheels and resembles more of a conventional sports coupé.
Weighing 1,190 kilos, the electric coupé is designed as a 2+1 seater (optionally 2+2) and is powered by a 200 kW electric motor on the rear axle, coupled with a 55 kWh battery pack for a target WLTP range of 400 kilometres. Caterham quotes an acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h of less than 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 230 km/h. A larger battery, which could then have supplied a second, powerful electric motor, was not realised for weight reasons.
Caterham does not currently provide any further details on the construction of the battery with cell formats or cell chemistry. However, the battery pack is said to have “advanced thermal management” and can thus be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in around 15 minutes – provided the DC charger offers at least 150 kW. That would correspond to an average charging power of 132 kW in the aforementioned window.
To keep the weight down, the study has a composite chassis made of aluminium and carbon fibre. the mentioned target weight of under 1.2 tonnes applies to the 2+1 seater, Caterham does not give any details on the 2+2 seater and the exact design differences.
The body is the creation of new chief designer Anthony Jannarelly. His vision was “brought to life” by Italdesign, as the company puts it in the press release. However, no extreme design far removed from series production was implemented. “Project V is not just a concept or design study, we’ve conducted engineering and production feasibility throughout the development process,” says Bob Laishley, CEO of Caterham Cars and COO of the newly formed electric division Caterham EVo. “An electric Caterham of any shape and size has to stay true to what sets us apart from everyone else: being lightweight, simple and offering an unparalleled driving experience; that’s our DNA.”
At the presentation of the electric Seven technology carrier, Caterham had still qualified that production of the EV Seven would only take place “when future generation battery technology allows it”. For Project V, Laishley specifically mentions that it “could be brought to market towards the end of 2025 or early 2026 with a target price starting from less than £80,000”, but remains “subject to the next phases of development and technical capability”.
Keyword: Caterham presents electric concept sportscar