Electric cars are hotter than ever before. After decades of decline, they are finally coming into their own as a viable alternative to gas or diesel engines. For the 2014 model year every major manufacturer will have introduced at least one EV model.
However, with the exception of Tesla, most electric cars are small, often compact vehicles that offer short range, low speeds, and minimal options. Can we see an electric sports car, and if so, what would it look like?
Electric Cars Are Not New
Electric cars have been around since the birth of the internal combustion engine in the early 20th century, when Anderson Electric Car Company created some of the world’s first (and for a long time, best) electric cars.
In 2008, the spirit of that company was reborn when Detroit Electric was formed by Albert Lam, the former Group CEO of Lotus Engineering Group. The company officially relaunched just a few weeks ago, and their goal is to go beyond just having electric alternatives and bring electric power to sports cars and muscle cars. That first electric car from Detroit Electric is set to appear at the Shanghai Auto Show this spring.
The Electric Corvette
This is where things get interested. The teaser images posted by Detroit Electric thus far look a lot like the C6 with a slightly adjusted front nose. This makes good sense when you take into consideration the design and cost of the Corvette. As far as sports cars go, it has one of the largest production runs in the world, a low overall cost, and a good body for electric conversion.
Of course, we have not yet seen the finished car from Detroit Electric, nor do we know how it will drive or handle. Will it reach anywhere close to the speeds of its gas-powered forebears? Is it even a Corvette?
The Future of Electric Sports Cars
We already know that the C7 will be the lightest Corvette ever created, integrating carbon fiber into much of its design – a first for a base model Corvette. We also know that it will be faster and more powerful than previous production runs of the Corvette.
Combined with the fact that electric car technology is advancing at rapid speed both due to demand and much lower operating costs, and we could very well see a reasonably priced, efficient, and high-speed capable electric sports car in the very near future from a major manufacturer. If the technology developed by companies like Tesla and Detroit Electric makes it possible to drive an electric car like you would a sports car, this will be the future and when you consider just how much fuel these cars can devour, that’s not such a bad things.
Electric cars or some variant of them are the future. As fuel prices continue to increase, laws change to require higher fuel efficiency standards, and technology advances, we will see sports cars with electric options. How they will run remains to be seen, but it will be an interesting transition in the industry.
Click here for a photo gallery of the new SP:01.
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