Ariel, maker of the amazing Atom (seen above) and Nomad, is reportedly working on a mind-blowing, two-seat electric hypercar. According to Autocar, the Ariel P40 is set to be revealed later this month, with a production launch in 2020. If these initial specs bear fruit, the Ariel P40 will offer 1,180 horsepower and 1,328 pound-feet of torque, good for a 0-100 mph time of 3.8 seconds.
Read that again. That's 0-100 miles per hour, not kilometers. In 3.8 seconds. 0-60 mph would happen in just 2.4 seconds, and 0-150 mph taking 7.8 seconds. Top speed would be limited to 160 mph.
The Ariel P40 is the result of a collaboration between three companies, with the support of a £2 million ($2.6 million) grant from the British government. The project is called "Hipercar" which is short for High-Performance Carbon Reduction.
The P40 will likely be offered in two models. The 4x4 flagship model will feature four electric motors, each good for 295 horsepower. They'll be powered by a 42-kWh battery pack, providing 100 to 120 miles of range, or "around 15 minutes of flat-out track driving." A second, 2x4 version would not be as quick, but would have a 56-kWh battery pack. Each model will have a 35-kW turbine range extender to provide continued driving once the battery is depleted.
It will use lightweight materials, including an aluminum monocoque with carbon fiber body panels. It will weigh around 3,527 pounds. The liquid-cooled battery will be situated low in the car, which should help handling and stability. The P40 will also use electronic traction control, torque vectoring, and regenerative braking.
"We're building tomorrow's aspirational car using our small-company agility to beat the big companies," said Simon Saunders, founder and head of Ariel Motor Co. "We love the Ariels we make now, but we know we have to embrace new technology. If we don't, in 20 years we'll be making antiques, and we could even be legislated out of existence."
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Read that again. That's 0-100 miles per hour, not kilometers. In 3.8 seconds. 0-60 mph would happen in just 2.4 seconds, and 0-150 mph taking 7.8 seconds. Top speed would be limited to 160 mph.
The Ariel P40 is the result of a collaboration between three companies, with the support of a £2 million ($2.6 million) grant from the British government. The project is called "Hipercar" which is short for High-Performance Carbon Reduction.
The P40 will likely be offered in two models. The 4x4 flagship model will feature four electric motors, each good for 295 horsepower. They'll be powered by a 42-kWh battery pack, providing 100 to 120 miles of range, or "around 15 minutes of flat-out track driving." A second, 2x4 version would not be as quick, but would have a 56-kWh battery pack. Each model will have a 35-kW turbine range extender to provide continued driving once the battery is depleted.
It will use lightweight materials, including an aluminum monocoque with carbon fiber body panels. It will weigh around 3,527 pounds. The liquid-cooled battery will be situated low in the car, which should help handling and stability. The P40 will also use electronic traction control, torque vectoring, and regenerative braking.
"We're building tomorrow's aspirational car using our small-company agility to beat the big companies," said Simon Saunders, founder and head of Ariel Motor Co. "We love the Ariels we make now, but we know we have to embrace new technology. If we don't, in 20 years we'll be making antiques, and we could even be legislated out of existence."
Related Video:
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