Caterham Project V concept EV debuts – 272 PS single motor RWD, 55 kWh battery, 400 km range WLTP

British lightweight sports car specialist Caterham has unveiled its latest concept, the Project V at this year’s edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Project V is a fully electric two-seater coupé concept car penned by chief designer Anthony Janarelly, and is built by Italdesign.

The Project V is a radical departure from the diminutive, minimalist open-air two-seater Seven range of models which was itself derived from the Lotus Seven, that dates back to 1957.

In the carmaker’s adoption of electric propulsion, the Project V also employs a carbon-fibre and aluminium composite chassis with composite bodywork, and measures 4,255 mm long, 1,893 mm wide and 1,226 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,581 mm.

The Project V weighs 1,190 kg with all required fluids without occupants; for comparison, the petrol-powered Super Seven 1600 weighs 565 kg. The Project V is powered by a 272 PS permanent magnet synchronous motor that operates at 400 volts.

This is fed by a twin-pack 55 kWh lithium-ion battery offering a range of up to 400 km on the WLTP testing cycle, and can be recharged from 20-80% in 15 minutes using a 150 kW DC charger, according to Caterham. Performance-wise, the Project V is estimated to do the 0-100 km/h sprint benchmark in under 4.5 seconds, and reach a top speed of 230 km/h.

Its chassis employs a double wishbone layout for the front and rear suspension along with fully adjustable geometry, while steering is electrically assisted and disc brakes feature front and rear with high-performance calipers. Wheels measure 19 and 20 inches in diameter front and rear, respectively, and are shod in 235/35R19 and 285/30R20 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.

The show car employs a 2+1 seating layout, while a 2+2 is optional, and has been optimised for easier entry and egress, offering greater comfort for the rear seat passenger and better flexibility in how an owner may use the car.

A digital instrument panel provides key information, while a driver-focused infotainment unit offers smartphone mirroring. A trio of drive modes – Normal, Sport and Sprint – offer different acceleration and steering characteristics.

With engineering and manufacturing feasibility studies conducted through its development process, the production version of the Project V “could arrive” in late-2025 or early 2026, says Caterham, with prices targeted to start from 80,000 pounds sterling (RM475,320).

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