A Japanese engineering company is out to demonstrate that light weight and electric power don't have to be mutually exclusive.
The company AIM on Wednesday provided full specifications for its EV Sport 01, an electric sports car concept that was first shown in April and features a design crafted by SN Design Platform, the design studio of former Nissan design chief Shiro Nakamura. Nakamura was responsible for several standout Nissans and Infinitis, including the current R35 Nissan GT-R.
According to AIM, the EV Sport 01 packs 483 hp and weighs just 3,141 pounds. For reference, the Lotus Evija hypercar, one of the lightest electric vehicles in production, weighs more than 3,700 pounds.
The power comes from a dual-motor rear-wheel-drive setup developed by AIM, and an 81-kwh lithium-ion battery provides the energy for the motors. This all sits in a chassis boasting a carbon-fiber central tub and aluminum sub-frames with double-wishbone suspension front and rear. Carbon-fiber composite materials are also used for the body to help keep weight down.
AIM EV Sport 01 concept
The car's compact dimensions also keep it light. The EV Sport 01 measures a little over 153 inches long—about the size of a Mini Cooper hatchback—and is designed to seat two.
AIM, based in the city of Nagoya, is an expert when it comes to powertrains and has even competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a prototype running the company's own 5.5-liter V-10. Its team, Oreca Matmut AIM, managed to finish as high as fourth overall during the 2010 race.
The company said it is now developing the electric motors used in the EV Sport 01, known as the APM200 series, for use by OEMs and potential production vehicles launched by AIM. The first of these AIM-branded vehicles could be the EV Sport 01. The company said it is currently developing a feasibility study for the production of a limited run.
AIM will present the EV Sport 01 at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed, which runs in the U.K. July 13-16.
