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ased on a design first conjured up in the late 50s, this ultra-minimalist open top sports car is still about the most fun you can have on four wheels, and if you’re willing to put up with its extreme take on back-to-basics driving nothing comes close.
But, like all carmakers, Caterham needs to look beyond internal-combustion cars and, even if the cut-off for selling them has been extended, it needs to go electric to survive. But how to stick to its brand values of ultra-lightweight sports cars with the focus on fun when we all know batteries and motors are heavy and lacking sensory thrills? Step up the Project V, officially a concept but one with its feet on the ground in terms of production viability and the potential to raise Caterham’s profile while staying true to its driver-focused roots. • The first all-new Caterham in decades and since the aborted tie-up with Alpine a few years back • Swoopy lines combine retro style with modern manufacturing and materials for an amazingly light kerbweight of just over 1,000kg • Lean build means it only needs 272 horsepower to hit 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and 143mph flat out • A relatively small battery helps keep the kilos off but it’ll still do nearly 250 miles on a full charge • Quirky ‘2+1’ seating includes a small rear seat between the driver and front-seat passenger
Design and models available
Interior and tech
Where mainstream electric cars have been piling on weight and we’ve got used to the idea of even mid-sized hatchbacks weighing as much as chunky SUVs Caterham has instead embraced the ‘virtuous circle’ of weight saving. So, a smaller battery keeps the weight off, meaning it doesn’t need as much power to deliver the performance fans expect, charges quicker and everything from brakes to tyres and suspension can be lighter as well. To put that into context a Cupra Born – one of the sportier mainstream EVs currently available – has similar power output and range to the 272 horsepower and 247 miles claimed by the Project V but needs a much bigger battery to achieve it. And weighs a lot more, so is nothing like as fast or agile.