Nothing can top the charm of a classic, except maybe a classic with a little electric heart.
Watt Electric Vehicle Company, a specialist vehicle manufacturer out of the UK, is coming to market with a low-volume electric vehicle that combines both: a Porsche-inspired EV dubbed simply Coupe. The Coupe from WEVC draws inspiration from the 1950s Porsche 356A but features considerable modifications that improve aerodynamics.
Light, elegant and very green, the Coupe is a two-seat sports car that wants to show that not every vehicle has to be massive and incredibly powerful. It also wants to redefine premium electric sports cars, as WEVC founder and owner Neil Yates says in a statement to Top Gear.
“With our debut vehicle we wanted to build a light, engaging sports car, at the opposite end of the spectrum from the current trend toward hugely powerful, fast accelerating, but heavy electric supercars,” Yates says.
The Coupe is the first vehicle from WEVC to use the proprietary PACES (Passenger And Commercial EV Skateboard) platform, a bonded aluminum skateboard featuring an integrated battery. The same platform could have applications in other transportation market segments, like on buses or quadricycle-style city cars.
WEVC says that PACES is lighter than other skateboards used by EV makers. This, in conjunction with the small dimensions of the Coupe, makes it incredibly light: the curb weight is under 1,000 kg (2,205 pounds).
A mid-mounted electric motor generates 161 hp, powered by a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery good for an estimated 470 km (230 miles) on a single charge. WEVC believes the Coupe will be able to sprint to 100 kph (62 mph) from a standstill in a little over 5 seconds.
The WEVC Coupe will be a limited production vehicle. The company plans to offer the Launch Edition series first, which will include 21 examples at £81,250 ($113,210 at the current exchange rate) and will start deliveries in 2022. The Coupe's official unveiling will take place this summer, with a production start date set for November in Cornwall.
Light, elegant and very green, the Coupe is a two-seat sports car that wants to show that not every vehicle has to be massive and incredibly powerful. It also wants to redefine premium electric sports cars, as WEVC founder and owner Neil Yates says in a statement to Top Gear.
“With our debut vehicle we wanted to build a light, engaging sports car, at the opposite end of the spectrum from the current trend toward hugely powerful, fast accelerating, but heavy electric supercars,” Yates says.
The Coupe is the first vehicle from WEVC to use the proprietary PACES (Passenger And Commercial EV Skateboard) platform, a bonded aluminum skateboard featuring an integrated battery. The same platform could have applications in other transportation market segments, like on buses or quadricycle-style city cars.
WEVC says that PACES is lighter than other skateboards used by EV makers. This, in conjunction with the small dimensions of the Coupe, makes it incredibly light: the curb weight is under 1,000 kg (2,205 pounds).
A mid-mounted electric motor generates 161 hp, powered by a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery good for an estimated 470 km (230 miles) on a single charge. WEVC believes the Coupe will be able to sprint to 100 kph (62 mph) from a standstill in a little over 5 seconds.
The WEVC Coupe will be a limited production vehicle. The company plans to offer the Launch Edition series first, which will include 21 examples at £81,250 ($113,210 at the current exchange rate) and will start deliveries in 2022. The Coupe's official unveiling will take place this summer, with a production start date set for November in Cornwall.