When the Anderson Electric Car Company first launched the Detroit Electric emissions-free car in 1907, they revolutionized the concept of the electric car. The vehicle was capable of immediately starting up without the elaborate and tedious process of cranking up the engine, which was common in internal combustion engines at that time. Furthermore, despite the advertised range of 80 miles per charge, an independent test at that time found that the vehicle could travel a remarkable 211.3 miles in a single charge. The Detroit Electric automobile was also a pioneer in many aspects, including being the first car (internal combustion or not) to sport curved window glass.
In 2008, the Detroit Electric brand was revived for the very purpose for which it was initiated in 1907: to produce the world's best electric cars. The SP:01, a fully electric sports car based on the Lotus Elise's aluminum chassis, will be the first creation of the company. Although Detroit Electric will only produce 999 units of the electric supercar, it promised that a full vehicle lineup will be available for sale in the foreseeable future.
The new $135,000 SP:01 will sport a lightweight, primarily carbon fiber body (a total weight of 2,354 lbs) with a 285 HP 150 kilowatt electric motor. The top speed of the SP:01 will be about 155 miles per hour, and the range will be about 190 miles. The rear-wheel drive supercar will power from 0-60 in about 3.7 seconds, and a four speed manual transmission will be standard. The SP:01 holds remarkably similar statistics to Tesla’s now defunct Roadster, a sports car that was also based on the Lotus Elise platform. Both cars travel from 0-60 in the exact same time (3.7 seconds) while the Roadster has a more powerful 288 horsepower electric motor. The Roadster’s top speed, however, was electronically limited to 125 MPH, making the SP:01 clearly the more capable sports car. In fact, when the SP:01 was first unveiled in 2012, Detroit Electric promised that it would be the fastest road legal electric vehicle at production.
However, a lot has changed since then. Tesla Motors recently developed the Model S P85D (the Model S is our 2015 Car of the Year), a midsize luxury sedan that overtakes many of the greatest supercars in speed while maintaining the interior comfort found in its class. The P85D is capable of zipping from 0-60 in a mind-blowing 2.9 seconds, nearly an entire second faster than the Detroit SP:01. Furthermore, the P85D is powered by a 691 horsepower electric motor (which is 406 more HP than the SP:01) and can overcome about 300 miles in a single charge. Elon Musk, Tesla’s ambitious and daring CEO, also announced that the top speed of the P85D will be increased to 155 MPH with an over-the-air software update, which would make the top speed the exact same as the new SP:01’s. Furthermore, the Tesla’s base price is just over $100,000, which is also drastically less than the SP:01’s price.
Although the Tesla Model S’s statistics and technology may prove to be a nightmare for Detroit Electric’s engineers, the car company is set to provide a legitimate threat to Tesla’s dominance over the emission-free vehicle market. Although Elon Musk had “no comment” when asked about Detroit Electric’s resurgence, the presence of a legitimate competitor will constantly pressure Tesla to reassure the world that it is still the king of the electric car market. Meanwhile, Detroit Electric still needs to prove itself and its first car: will the SP:01 just be a refreshed Tesla Roadster? Will Detroit Electric always be in Tesla Motors’ heels in terms of technology and innovation? The release of the SP:01 will certainly answer many questions about the future of Detroit Electric as well as electric cars in general.
Have thoughts about this potentially ground-breaking electric supercar? Leave a comment below.
In 2008, the Detroit Electric brand was revived for the very purpose for which it was initiated in 1907: to produce the world's best electric cars. The SP:01, a fully electric sports car based on the Lotus Elise's aluminum chassis, will be the first creation of the company. Although Detroit Electric will only produce 999 units of the electric supercar, it promised that a full vehicle lineup will be available for sale in the foreseeable future.
The new $135,000 SP:01 will sport a lightweight, primarily carbon fiber body (a total weight of 2,354 lbs) with a 285 HP 150 kilowatt electric motor. The top speed of the SP:01 will be about 155 miles per hour, and the range will be about 190 miles. The rear-wheel drive supercar will power from 0-60 in about 3.7 seconds, and a four speed manual transmission will be standard. The SP:01 holds remarkably similar statistics to Tesla’s now defunct Roadster, a sports car that was also based on the Lotus Elise platform. Both cars travel from 0-60 in the exact same time (3.7 seconds) while the Roadster has a more powerful 288 horsepower electric motor. The Roadster’s top speed, however, was electronically limited to 125 MPH, making the SP:01 clearly the more capable sports car. In fact, when the SP:01 was first unveiled in 2012, Detroit Electric promised that it would be the fastest road legal electric vehicle at production.
However, a lot has changed since then. Tesla Motors recently developed the Model S P85D (the Model S is our 2015 Car of the Year), a midsize luxury sedan that overtakes many of the greatest supercars in speed while maintaining the interior comfort found in its class. The P85D is capable of zipping from 0-60 in a mind-blowing 2.9 seconds, nearly an entire second faster than the Detroit SP:01. Furthermore, the P85D is powered by a 691 horsepower electric motor (which is 406 more HP than the SP:01) and can overcome about 300 miles in a single charge. Elon Musk, Tesla’s ambitious and daring CEO, also announced that the top speed of the P85D will be increased to 155 MPH with an over-the-air software update, which would make the top speed the exact same as the new SP:01’s. Furthermore, the Tesla’s base price is just over $100,000, which is also drastically less than the SP:01’s price.
Although the Tesla Model S’s statistics and technology may prove to be a nightmare for Detroit Electric’s engineers, the car company is set to provide a legitimate threat to Tesla’s dominance over the emission-free vehicle market. Although Elon Musk had “no comment” when asked about Detroit Electric’s resurgence, the presence of a legitimate competitor will constantly pressure Tesla to reassure the world that it is still the king of the electric car market. Meanwhile, Detroit Electric still needs to prove itself and its first car: will the SP:01 just be a refreshed Tesla Roadster? Will Detroit Electric always be in Tesla Motors’ heels in terms of technology and innovation? The release of the SP:01 will certainly answer many questions about the future of Detroit Electric as well as electric cars in general.
Have thoughts about this potentially ground-breaking electric supercar? Leave a comment below.