Detroit Electric clearly isn't coy when it comes to its
SP:01, the world's fastest production electric car, publicly revealed for the
first time at the Shanghai Auto Show today. The company made no attempt to
cover up its high-performance EV ahead of its press conference, and our man on
the ground didn't hesitate in wiring these pictures in to Fortress Gizmag. The
SP:01 tops out at 249 km/h (155 mph) and can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) from a
standstill in a fleet 3.7 seconds.
The company attributes the car's performance to its
power-to-weight ratio: A 201-bhp (150-kW) motor delivers 166 lb.ft (225 Nm) of
torque to move the SP:01's trim 2,354 lb (1,068 kg). Detroit Electric has
managed to keep the weight down by paying special attention to the battery
pack, and using carbon fiber for the F1-like bodywork and aluminum for the
platform.
With tuned suspension, steering and brakes, the company
claims the package offers "class-leading" handling and ride.
The car's electric motor allows drivers to accelerate
without need of manic gear-shifting, though four gear ratios are offered for
those seeking to eke out every drop of performance.
Detroit Electric claims that the battery's 37 kWh of storage
is good for 190 miles on a single charge. The special home-charging kit will
fully charge an empty battery in about 4 hours 20 minutes. The company claims
that basically the same battery has seen use in helicopters and submarines. The
battery life is assisted by a regenerative system that recovers kinetic energy
under braking.
The SP:01 comes equipped with a smartphone-controlled
information and entertainment system, dubbed SAMI (short for Smartphone
Application Managed Infotainment). SAMI includes a music player, sat-nav,
interior lighting and climate controls as well as a vehicle status display,
keeping the driver informed of battery charge and range. These can be accessed
remotely as well as from behind the dash.
After 5 years of development and testing. The
limited-edition two-seater hit the market earlier this month, and Detroit
Electric reports 35 were snapped up in the first hour. The car represents
something of a resurgence in the Detroit Electric brand (which had gone unused
since 1939). Two more high-performance Detroit Electric EVs are scheduled to
commence production before the end of next year.
Detroit Electric's is saying the SP:01 is available from
1,250,000 RMB. That translates to about US$200,000, significantly more than the
$135,000 we previously reported. We'll attempt to get to the bottom of this
apparent discrepancy.
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