Photo: Electra Meccanica
You may not have heard of this company's name - originally stemming from Italy but now settled in Canada - but the "[insert classic model name] of electric vehicles" template might sound a bit familiar.
That's probably because it was used by Electra Meccanica when describing its first venture into the world of EVs. The iconic ICE model targetted then was the Volkswagen Bettle and the EV that was supposed to replicate its success was the company's own SOLO - a three-wheeled single seater electric vehicle.
The company's second vehicle doesn't have a similar description for now, and since the "Tesla Roadster of electric vehicles" isn't an option, we could turn our attention to the vehicle the Californian electric sports car was based on: the Lotus Elise.
Luckily, the similarities between the Elise and the car at hand here are much more obvious than in the case of Electra Meccanica's SOLO and the VW Beetle. For starters, they have the same number of seats - two - and even more importantly, the same number of wheels. They also share the same approach about the use of a roof, which is that having something over your head is entirely optional.
It's not the first time Electra Meccanica talked about its second intended EV, but these pictures mark the debut of something palpable in this direction. All we had to work with regarding the Tofino - the somewhat comical name of the roadster - so far were a few computer renderings, which was close to nothing.
Now, we get to see the underbody of a development car, and boy, does it look weird. If anything, it looks like there's a lot of steel there, which in conjunction with the battery pack should make the tiny vehicle exceptionally heavy.
Except that's not steel, but aircraft composite (FRP/Aluminum). The entire chassis weighs a mere 175 lbs (80 g), which means that if they also opt for lightweight materials for the body, we could be looking at one of the most featherweight EVs out there.
“The Tofino chassis is crafted from aircraft composite (FRP/ Aluminum) tub structure weighing only 175 lbs (80 kg). It features front and rear aluminum subframes and an aluminum cowl brace for added structural rigidity. It is equipped with a double “A” arm front suspension and a five-link rear suspension both with adjustable dampers. Also shown in the chassis are the UQM performance motor and dual floor-mounted battery packs.”
Like the Lotus, the Tofino won't pack such a serious punch with the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) acceleration expected to happen in seven seconds. The top speed is a rounded 124 mph (200 km/h) and the maximum range offered by the two battery packs mounted in the floor is 250 miles (400 km). Not exactly Tesla-frightening figures, but more than decent for a company this size.
The only downside to the Electra Meccanica Tofino using advanced materials is that it probably won't be too cheap. The company says it will cost $50,000, which is both expensive and decent, depending on how you look at it. It's about the same price as a Tesla Model 3 which offers more practicality and better performance. At the same time, with the Tesla Roadster long gone, it's a pretty unique proposition on the market and $50,000 for a fun car isn't that much for a family that already owns two Teslas, for example, and the husband is going through an ecological mid-life crisis. However, that's a pretty narrow niche to be talking to, so let's hope - for Electra Meccanica's sake - that they'll find a way to enlarge it.
The company's second vehicle doesn't have a similar description for now, and since the "Tesla Roadster of electric vehicles" isn't an option, we could turn our attention to the vehicle the Californian electric sports car was based on: the Lotus Elise.
Luckily, the similarities between the Elise and the car at hand here are much more obvious than in the case of Electra Meccanica's SOLO and the VW Beetle. For starters, they have the same number of seats - two - and even more importantly, the same number of wheels. They also share the same approach about the use of a roof, which is that having something over your head is entirely optional.
It's not the first time Electra Meccanica talked about its second intended EV, but these pictures mark the debut of something palpable in this direction. All we had to work with regarding the Tofino - the somewhat comical name of the roadster - so far were a few computer renderings, which was close to nothing.
Now, we get to see the underbody of a development car, and boy, does it look weird. If anything, it looks like there's a lot of steel there, which in conjunction with the battery pack should make the tiny vehicle exceptionally heavy.
Except that's not steel, but aircraft composite (FRP/Aluminum). The entire chassis weighs a mere 175 lbs (80 g), which means that if they also opt for lightweight materials for the body, we could be looking at one of the most featherweight EVs out there.
“The Tofino chassis is crafted from aircraft composite (FRP/ Aluminum) tub structure weighing only 175 lbs (80 kg). It features front and rear aluminum subframes and an aluminum cowl brace for added structural rigidity. It is equipped with a double “A” arm front suspension and a five-link rear suspension both with adjustable dampers. Also shown in the chassis are the UQM performance motor and dual floor-mounted battery packs.”
Like the Lotus, the Tofino won't pack such a serious punch with the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) acceleration expected to happen in seven seconds. The top speed is a rounded 124 mph (200 km/h) and the maximum range offered by the two battery packs mounted in the floor is 250 miles (400 km). Not exactly Tesla-frightening figures, but more than decent for a company this size.
The only downside to the Electra Meccanica Tofino using advanced materials is that it probably won't be too cheap. The company says it will cost $50,000, which is both expensive and decent, depending on how you look at it. It's about the same price as a Tesla Model 3 which offers more practicality and better performance. At the same time, with the Tesla Roadster long gone, it's a pretty unique proposition on the market and $50,000 for a fun car isn't that much for a family that already owns two Teslas, for example, and the husband is going through an ecological mid-life crisis. However, that's a pretty narrow niche to be talking to, so let's hope - for Electra Meccanica's sake - that they'll find a way to enlarge it.
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