Caterham shocks with new three-seat sports EV

British firm goes after Lotus and Alpine with compact electric sports tourer

- FELIX PAGE

Caterham headlines the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week with the unveiling of its stunning Project V concept - a vision of an electric sports coupé that the Kent-based marque could put into production as soon as 2026 at a rate of around 2000 units per year.

Completely unrelated to the Caterham Seven and built around a totally bespoke and all-new lightweight architecture, it is described more as a "small tourer" than an apex-hunting track car like its minimalist sibling. It categorically does not replace the Seven, although it has been designed with a rigid focus on the "simple, light and fun to drive" ethos that CEO Bob Laishley says must continue to define the Caterham brand into the electric era.

With a targeted real-world range of 249 miles, enough luggage space for a weekend away and niceties such as air-con and basic touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay connectivity, it looks to provide everyday utility on a par with cars like the Alpine A110 and Mazda MX-5.

A single permanent magnet synchronous motor delivers 268bhp to the rear wheels and is good for a claimed 0-62mph time of less than 4.5sec and a top speed of 143mph - figures that point to its billing as a usable sports coupé, rather than a hardcore track toy.