Detroit Electric, a company that you most likely haven’t heard of has unveiled its new SP:01 electric sports car. Detroit Electric’s roots go all the way back to began 1906 when it established itself as the market leader and most prolific manufacturer of electric cars. Detroit Electric went on to make some 13,000 vehicles by 1939 and holds the electric vehicle production world record for the twentieth century. Detroit Electric’s SP:01 sports car will spearhead a diverse family of all-electric production cars, including two other high-performance models that are scheduled to enter production by end of 2014.
“The SP:01 will be exclusive, luxurious and technologically advanced,” said Albert Lam, Detroit Electric‟s Chairman and Group CEO. “It is a milestone in the history of the Detroit Electric brand, but also a significant development for the international EV sector. The car will allow us to demonstrate to the world our ability to build an exciting and innovative product, one that displays outstanding performance coupled with strong green credentials, and which delivers an exhilarating driving experience.”
The SP:01 sports car is the first production vehicle to be marketed under the Detroit Electric brand since 1939 and will go on sale in many of Detroit Electric‟s target markets by end of August. The SP:01 a limited-edition, two-seat pure-electric sports car that borrows its body shell from Lotus’ Exige and the SP:01‟s bespoke bodywork is constructed entirely of carbon fiber.
The rear-wheel-drive SP:01 is powered by a compact, mid-mounted 201 horsepower electric motor with 166 lb-ft. of torque., a It also features a lightweight battery pack and thanks to its carbon-fiber bodywork, the total weight is just 2,354 lb. Detroit Electric says that the SP:01 will be the fastest pure-electric production car on the market with its 155 mph top speed and 0-62 mph time of 3.7 seconds. It also has a range of almost 190 miles and can be recharged in just over four hours.
Rather than just consume electricity, the SP:01 also has the ability to use its stored battery power to charge a home. “Our research engineers at Detroit Electric have taken steps to break the mould,” adds Mr Lam. “SP:01 is more than just a sports car, it is a mobile energy unit, allowing the user to use its stored battery energy to power not just the car but even an entire home. SP:01 is equipped with bi-directional charge and discharge capability, allowing it to release its stored electrical energy to power a home.”
The SP:01‟s bi-directional charge and discharge feature is made possible through Detroit Electric’s home charging and power back-up unit, named „360 Powerback‟. It is a smart home-charging and power back-up unit that enables the SP:01‟s battery to be charged at the rate of 8 kWh (240V@32A). This smart unit can also detect any power failure of the grid and provide the option to the user – via SAMI and the GSM network – to instruct the vehicle to restore power to the home using its stored energy.
The SP:01 will be produced at the new Detroit Electric production site in Wayne Country, Michigan and will start at $135,000. Only 999 examples will be built.
