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Gordon Murray Design and Toray Industries have announced a prototype electric sports car named TEEWAVE AR.1 .
The TEEWAVE AR.1 is a two-seater sports car powered by the electric powertrain from the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. With an output of only 47kw, we’re not looking at Tesla Roadster levels of performance, but the whole point is to produce an electric sports car that’s as lightweight as possible.
The AR.1 weighs just 850 kg (including the 240 kg battery), which helps to give a 0-62 mph time of 11.4 seconds and a top speed of around 90 mph. The emissions on the NEDC cycle are 31.4 g/km CO2, based on the energy mix in Japan. The AR.1 needs a six-hour charging time and it has a range of around 115 miles.
The AR.1’s low weight of just 850kg (including the 240kg battery) is 400kg lighter than a Tesla. Combined with the powertrain being located in a mid-rear position, the low centre of gravity and the suspension geometry, Gordon Murray says the result is an excellent ride and handling balance.
The car is designed to use the Toray carbon fibre component system with a process time of less than 10 minutes. A carbon monocoque, one of the key technologies of TEEWAVE, can be applied to other types of vehicle apart from this two-seater sports car. The entire programme from concept discussions to running vehicle took just nine months.
The AR.1 had an internal GMD code number of ‘T.32’ and the car is the result of a commission from Toray for Gordon Murray Design to design, tool and build a fully functioning prototype vehicle which utilises many of Toray’s advanced automotive materials.
Read our feature about the Gordon Murray Design T.25
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