Image: Ariel Motor
Image: Ariel Motor
Image: Ariel Motor
Ariel Motor Company, famous for creating the acclaimed Ariel Atom and Nomad, have unveiled their latest addition to their high-performance fleet. As if derived from a Micheal Bay movie starring sentient machinery or an acid-trip depiction of the bat mobile, the Ariel Hipercar is one of the most confusing and arousing cars to be unsheathed this year.
Image: Ariel Motor
For the last year or so the introduction of high-performing electric vehicles has become greater and more varied, with cars ranging from the Polestar’s luxurious EV roadsters to Audi’s e-Tron family. Ariel Hipercar — not a spelling error but an acronym for High-Performance Carbon Reduction— is one of the most absurd additions to the high-performance electric vehicle segment.
Powered by a Cosworth sourced 800v lithium-ion battery producing 62kWh. Granted, this isn’t as powerful a battery as the one found in the Audi e-tron GT, but the Ariel Hipercar is a petite car – which is estimated to tip the scale at around 1500Kg-, which would mean that it’s nearly 1 tonne lighter than the Porsche Taycan Turbo S.
Image: Ariel Motor
Its lighter figure allows it to sprint from 0 km/h to 100 km/h in 2,09 seconds! Ariel motors offer a four-motor (all-wheel-drive) layout, as well as a two-motor (rear-wheel-drive) layout. The four-motor setup possesses the ability to produce an astonishing 880 kW and 1800 Nm, while the two-motor setup, only has half the amount of power and torque as the four-motor variant. Torque vectoring, regenerative braking and traction control are all aboard the Hipercar’s driving
One concerning feature of the Hipercar is its range. Although the EV scene is dominated by the topic of range, the Ariel Hipercar’s range is abysmal when compared to other EVs. Although, assisting the 800v battery is another (optional) Cosworth sourced range extender. It’s called the CatGen (Catalytic Generator) turbine range extender. It consists of a micro-turbine generating a mix of hot, high-pressure air and fuel that drive a turbine. This turbine is connected to an electricity generating motor that is used to charge batteries, hence allowing for more range to be allowed to the car.
Image: Ariel Motor
While it stands out, in terms of traditional automotive design, it’s not a far cry from Ariel’s typical M.O. The outrageous and outlandish body is composed of entirely carbon fibre, while the bonded chassis and front and rear subframes are composed of lightweight aluminium. It seems as though there is no intent to alter the frame of the car going into production, so it is safe to assume this extraterrestrial-Esque design is here to stay.
The Ariel Hipercar will likely be developed alongside the Atom and Nomad in England. Unfortunately, final pricing hasn’t been released but expect a price tag in the seven-figure range.
Keyword: The Ariel Hipercar is a light, powerful, four-motor EV powered by Cosworth