Detroit Electric produces first SP:01 electric roadster
The first production version of the so-called "lightest and fastest two-seat pure-electric sports car in the world," Detroit Electric SP:01, has rolled off the assembly line.
Set to go on sale in Asia and Europe over the coming weeks, the SP:01 is built on the Lotus Elise platform, à la the Tesla Roadster, and boasts a carbon fibre body and an aluminium chassis.
Weighing in at just 2,600 lbs., the SP:01's 210-kW electric motor propels the car from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 250 km/h.
The SP:01 comes with a single-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment, with the option of adding either twin-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmissions.
Perhaps the coolest powertrain feature of the SP:01, though, is its 37-kWh battery pack, which is clad in a protective composite casing and makes up part of the vehicle's structure.
Detroit Electric claims the design improves the SP:01's torsional rigidity and "provides an extremely robust barrier to protect the batteries from punctures in the event of an accident."
The car has an estimated range of about 290 kilometres.
It is also equipped with an app-based system called Smartphone Application Managed Infotainment (SAMI), which uses Android technology and is fully compatible with Android Auto, and allows users to search for nearby roadside chargers points and then pre-book charging time, as well as review billing and credit information relating to their charge-point use.
When away from the SP:01, owners can use SAMI as a remote control unit via GSM, enabling them to locate the vehicle, turn on the climate control system and check the charge status.
When in the car, the SAMI-enabled smartphone is installed in the centre console and becomes the interface for a wide range of functions, including navigation, regenerative braking settings, and vehicle systems statuses including battery charge level and driving range.
