Detroit Electric SP:01 – it’s a Lotus Exige EV

Detroit Electric has revealed the SP:01, a Lotus Exige based electric sports car promising 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds and a range of 190 miles. 999 are being built.

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It may sound a bit familiar as a project: Take the underpinnings of a Lotus Exige, bolt in an electric motor and a battery bank and produce a fast and fun sports car that makes a perfect EV toy. It worked for Tesla with the Roadster, and now Detroit Electric are trying the same trick.

Detroit Electric is a re-birth of a once well-known electric vehicle maker in the US (that’s well-known pre-WWII) that’s been revived by former Group head of Lotus Engineering, Albert Lam, set up shop in Michigan with the intention of emulating Tesla’s route to EV credibility by building its own Lotus EV.

The SP:01 starts life as a Lotus Exige rolling chassis from Lotus with a new body made from carbon fibre, with Detroit Electric trimming out the interior in leather and carbon fibre with smartphone integration and dropping in its electric power plant.

The Ev setup sits where you would expect – behind your head – with two 37kWh lithium-polymer, air-cooled batteries powering an asynchronous electric motor that’s good for 201bhp and 166lb/ft of torque.

That setup is enough, say Detroit Electric, for a 0-62mph of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 155mph and a have a range of 180 miles on a charge. Although not at the same time as hitting 62mph in 3.7 seconds or travelling at 155mph, we assume.

Interestingly, the SP:01 comes with a manual gearbox (of sorts), with Detroit Electric saying ‘ Drivers can select one of four gear ratios for optimal acceleration…there is little need to change gear regularly to ensure brisk progress’.

Detroit electric SP:01 Pictures

Detroit Electric are planning to build 999 SP:01s and each will cost $135,000. That equates to £90k, but by the time it gets to the UK, you add on duty and VAT and you’ll be up at around £120k, which is an awful lot for a Lotus Exige with a battery.

Still, Tesla managed to build a business off the back of an electric Lotus, so maybe Detroit Electric can do the same with the SP:01?