AC Cars has unveiled an electric version of its Ace roadster that tips the scales at less than 1134kg, making it one of the lightest open-top EVs on sale.
The single-motor MG Cyberster weighs 1885kg and the Wiesmann Project Thunderball is said to be just above 1700kg. The combustion-engined Ace, meanwhile, is 1100kg.
The Ace Classic Electric uses gearbox maker Tremec’s eGT413 powertrain, comprising a 72kWh battery pack and 300bhp motor.
Carbonfibre bodywork, as used by the petrol Ace, helps to keep the EV’s weight down.
AC has yet to announce performance figures for the Ace Classic Electric, but it should comfortably shade the petrol Ace, whose turbocharged 276bhp four-pot yields a 0-62mph sprint time of 4.6sec. It may even nudge the V8-powered Cobra GT, which hits 62mph in 3.4sec.
AC also claimed that the EV is capable of driving more than 200 miles between charges.
The EV will be offered with the same two bodystyles as the petrol car, drawing on the Bristol- and Ford-engined versions of the roadster from the 1950s and 1960s.
Prices will start at $275,000 (the equivalent of £212,000) before tax or personalisation, and deliveries are scheduled to begin in spring next year.
The car will make its debut at the SEMA show Las Vegas on 5 November.
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Batteries will only get lighter, A small block v8 weighs 225kg + fluids. A 50kwh battery pack is already getting to that weight. The motors are not much more than 50kg with housing and electronics so a few more years and the sporty light one will be the ev.
I know that's somewhat missing the point of a sports car, but geez...
I find it hard to believe it has a 72kwh battery AND weighs 1100kg.
Is this not about the testing regime? Many EVs can match or exceed range in slow stop start conditions, but range is calculated to include touring too, where aero is important, and the aero here will be poor.
Also, small companies like AC must buy in EV drivetrains and lack an army of software engineers to calibrate the system for ultimate efficiency.
This is obviously a very expensive toy, but I find the concept of a lightweight, near silent roadster quite appealing.
Pointless!
would you make them if they didn't have clients?, and yes, there's plenty others some for a lot less that are more appealing, what's yours?