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The JJAD P1-E electric sports car accelerates from 0-60mph in 2.9 secs and has a range of 230 miles. And at £55,000 it’s only a shade of over half the price of the electric Tesla Roadster.
Designed by former McLaren designer Jim Dowle (JJAD), who worked on projects such as the McLaren F1, low weight (1,055kg) is one of the keys to the performance of this gull-wing sports car.
The P1-E’s twin electric motors and lithium-ion batteries are positioned for optimum weight distribution and low centre of gravity, while the long wishbones front and rear ensure ideal suspension geometry. Four-wheel drive endows the car with maximum traction. It also allows regenerative braking on each wheel, the energy gained from which is used to top up the batteries.
Dowle says: “All the electric cars produced to date have been compromised in one way or another and most have been of little attraction to the enthusiast driver. We decided it was time to create an affordable electric sports car that combined the advantages of conventionally-engined machines with those of electric ones, without the disadvantages of either – in short, a drivers’ car for the 21st century.
“Since February we’ve been busy finalising the specification, fine-tuning the styling and seeking appropriate funding, and plan to have our first prototype up and running during 2009. Most of the programme’s key partnerships are now in place, though we’d still welcome approaches from any companies interested in investing in our mould-breaking performance car. Another remaining task is to agree its final name, P1-E being the project’s code.”
