British sports car newcomer, Elemental, plans to introduce an electric version of its RP1.
The RP1 is a lightweight, track-focused offering not unlike the Ariel Atom and BAC Mono. It debuted in 2016 with a peak output of 320 hp, and in its latest RP1R spec generates 370 hp, courtesy of a tuned version of the 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-4 found in the Mustang EcoBoost.
Development of the electric version is ongoing and a release date is yet to be announced, but John Begley, technical director at Elemental, revealed some early specs to Piston Heads in an interview published on Thursday.
2016 Elemental RP1
The electric RP1 will have a 40-kilowatt-hour battery and peak output of 560 hp. Thanks to a total weight of just 1,930 pounds, or about 620 pounds more than the internal-combustion version, the electric RP1 should be able to rocket to 60 mph from rest in 2.5 seconds or less.
At normal speeds, the electric RP1 should return a range of 180 miles. However, electric cars are notorious for quickly losing range at track speeds. In the case of the electric RP1, owners should be able to complete 20 laps of the Silverstone Circuit, which works out to be a bit over 70 miles.
Elemental is working with rival company Apex on development of the electric RP1. Apex sells its own version of the RP1 and in 2020 unveiled an electric sports car dubbed the AP-0. Apex said at the time that it will launch the AP-0 on the market in 2022.
