Detroit Electric, one of the most prolific manufacturers of electric cars in the early 20th Century, is back with an all-new, pure electric sportscar, a new production facility and a highly-experienced new team that will develop a range of high-performance pure EVs.
The brand’s first product, the lightweight, limited-edition SP:01 sportscar, will be the world’s fastest production electric vehicle when it goes on sale in European and Asian markets later this year and soon followed by the US introduction.
Detroit Electric has secured additional investment following an initial reveal of the SP:01 in the first quarter of last year. The car has since undergone extensive further development, heralding significant changes to enhance its aerodynamic performance and improve interior comfort and quality. The EV is currently undergoing engineering sign-off tests, and the final styling of the car will be revealed in the coming weeks.
The SP:01 will set new standards for performance and handling in the EV segment. Its high-power electric motor will propel the car to an impressive 155 mph (249 km/h) top speed and a 0-60mph time of just 3.7 seconds.
All the cars will be manufactured in a new, dedicated Detroit Electric production facility in Leamington Spa, UK, which will progressively increase staff levels to 80 by the end of the first quarter of 2015.
Detroit Electric has also invested in a new EMEA headquarters, located in Houten, Netherlands, where the company has already recruited a new team to manage the brand’s Sales and Marketing activities including vehicle sales, customer service and marketing.
The company has its global headquarters on the 18th floor of the iconic Fisher Building, located in downtown Detroit, USA. This facility will be the company’s financial headquarters and will be the centre for overseeing sales activities in North and South America, and eventually assuming responsibility for developing, engineering and ultimately assembling new Detroit Electric models.
Albert Lam, Chairman and CEO of Detroit Electric, said: “While Detroit was our preferred initial assembly location, the regulatory process for the production and sale of the SP:01 in the US has taken longer then expected. That means the assembly operations have to be located in Europe to allow us to bring the vehicle to market globally in line with our timing plans.”
The SP:01 will spearhead a diverse family of all-electric production cars, including an electric 2+2 supercar and a sedan model that will be engineered, developed and assembled at a planned facility in Michigan.
To safeguard its sustainable growth, Detroit Electric employs an ‘asset light’business model, similar to brands such as Apple and Nike, focusing investment on R&D and marketing. Lam, brings to Detroit Electric various operational disciplines from his time heading up technology and innovation-driven businesses in Asia, including Apple and Sun Microsystems.
