Caterham Project V Is An EV Sports Car That Is Lighter Than The Moon

It’s easy to get huge amounts of power from electric powertrains, and that’s why we’ve seen many EVs emerge with increasingly absurd four-digit output. That makes up for their weight figures, enabling super-quick 0-62mph times that sound good on paper, but in reality, won’t be quite as impressive. But not Caterham’s Italdesign-built Project V – it produces 268bhp from its rear-mounted electric motor.

It’s a very different approach to earlier EV efforts than the Lotus Evija, with the Project V aimed at the lower end of the market with a target price of under £80,000. And it doesn’t need to be ridiculously powerful, as the target curb weight is just 1,190 kg in its 2 + 1 seat configuration. Considering Volkswagen’s ID.3 weighs around two tonnes in some configurations, that’s pretty light.

Caterham says this will be made possible by using a carbon fiber and aluminum composite structure for the Project V, where composite body panels are used. It also helps that the battery isn’t huge at 55kWh, though it’s still big enough to offer a range of 249 miles, as long as you don’t try to replicate the 4.5-second 0-62mph time or the 143mph top speed too often. .

The chassis has a theoretically optimal configuration of the front and rear wishbones, and the geometry can be changed. It uses a wheel arrangement with 19-inch wheels at the front and 20-inch rims at the rear, both wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires. You also get electric power steering.

That last one is a hint that this is a very different beast to the Saba, and not just because of the EV powertrain. Overall, it’s more civilized, which is why – although it’s light – it’s heavier than the average version of Caterham’s flagship sports car. You got – grunts – a real cabin, and a lovely one at that.

There’s a “simple, driver-focused” infotainment setup that can mirror your smartphone, and a digital instrument cluster. The standard 2+1 seating arrangement involves a second-row seat positioned in the middle for easy ingress and egress, but a more standard 2+2 arrangement will be available as an option.

A production version, Caterham says, will arrive in 2025 or 2026. What it won’t do, says CEO Bob Laishley, is replace the Seven. “Project V is not a replacement for Seven, it is complementary, and we believe that by maintaining Caterham’s core values, it will appeal to our existing customers and attract new fans to the brand,” he said.

Meanwhile, Project V lead designer Anthony Jannarelly said:

Caterham Project V Is An EV Sports Car That Is Lighter Than The Moon | Information

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