The All-Electric Morgan 3-Wheeler Is Almost Here
Two and a half years on from the first concept, the all-electric EV3 is at last on the cusp of becoming a production reality. Morgan announced today that it’ll be building the plug-in version of its 3-Wheeler from the third quarter of 2018, thanks to a partnership with Frazer-Nash Energy Systems.
The latter company will be responsible for the powertrain, which will feature a 56bhp hooked up to a 21kWh lithium battery. Doesn’t sound like much, but we are talking about a car that could end up weighing less than 500kg.
As well as being - unsurprisingly - Morgan’s first electric production car, it’s also the Malvern-based firm’s first to feature composite body panels. Those, by the way, are apparently inspired by “1930s Aero-engine race cars, classic motorcycles and 1950s fantasy automatons.” Quite an eclectic mix, then.
It has a lower centre of gravity than the V-twin-powered 3-Wheeler, and has a range of up to 120 miles. Which is arguably more than you’d ever want to do sitting aboard one of these cars, anyway.
What do you think of the EV3? Is it a curious slice of retro futurism, or an unholy marriage of past and present? Let us know in the comments…
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Pff… I had one as a kid… It cost less than 150$, bought it used… It was tuned to 1 rwhp (battery modifications) and weighed a bit less than 20kg… Top speed was limited to 20km/h… But it could do 60… Beat that Morgan…
“battery overclock”
We have a genius electrical engineer right here.
I hate morgans but i admit that this is a cool mix of retro and futuristic in the style
I’m sas
Sad
Whoops
My phone can’t spell
If they put a manual gearbox in it, just to be even more retro, then it would be pretty awesome! And yes, it’s completely feasible.
(Yes I like it) Hey who’s the guy that will think this car still looks like it could be from the late 40’s?
give me my v twin back. I don’t care about electric crap
Whatever lol
Any ol’ lithium just doesn’t have the same ring to it
Any ol’ L-ion sound better?
Any ol’ L-ion sound better?
Frazer-Nash… Where do I know that name from?
Electrifying an old-fashioned roofless sportscar with skinny tyres and wire-spoke wheels . . . Doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose?
How do ?
*how so ?
No. It reinvents the purpose.
Morgan is trying to prove something here: That electrification need not spell doom for the classic British roadster. In essence, we can have our cake and eat it here. Adapting for the future need not signal the destruction of our heritage.
If they can pull this off Morgan will be able to prove it has a future in a rapidly changing world.
There is no more noble cause in the entirety of the automotive industry, in my opinion.
Why?