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Detroit Electric
- Thread starter TEG
- Start date
JRP3
Hyperactive Member
rolosrevenge
Dr. EVS
It's a shame they don't have anything yet, some people I'm sure really wish there was another electric roadster out there.
green1
Active Member
I really do wish them luck. But to build a competitor to the roadster? I think they're a little too late to the party here.
Slower than the MS, more expensive, and who knows what range it will have... I just don't see it doing too well.
Slower than the MS, more expensive, and who knows what range it will have... I just don't see it doing too well.
Chickenlittle
Banned
Detroit electric announces something
Lotus body 0 to 60 in 3.7 sec with top speed 155. No price, no picture other than rear shot. To be made in England not Detroit. Not convertable but hatchback. No video of anything driving
Lotus body 0 to 60 in 3.7 sec with top speed 155. No price, no picture other than rear shot. To be made in England not Detroit. Not convertable but hatchback. No video of anything driving
they just revealed the final design today. that's it. Detroit Electric reveals final SP:01 design before 2015 launch | Autocar
"Design changes made to this final version include a new underbody diffuser and rear wing to reduce lift, plus minor changes to the front air intakes to improve airflow."
I think it's great that there will be another company making a reasonably long range EV sports car. But Tesla has already surpassed some of the claims that Detroit Electric has made for their car, which is not even in production yet, quote:
"The company had previously stated that the SP:01 will be the world's fastest production electric vehicle, with a top speed of 155mph and a 0-60mph sprint time of 3.7sec. Tesla's Model S manages the 0-62mph sprint in 4.2sec, but the recently announced dual-motor version is capable of 0-60mph in just 3.2sec."
And the Model S 85D has a claimed top speed of 155.
The article says the range is "180 miles". Hmm...the Tesla Roadster was better than that in 2008, and the Roadster Sport offered 3.7 sec 0-60 times four years ago.
Really, 180 mile range is rather disappointing for a car that is supposedly going to go into production in 2015.
I wish Detroit Electric all the luck in the world, but if the car is over $100K base price before options I don't think it is going to be a success long term. We all watched Tesla struggle to launch the Roadster: it's a tough road to travel to create a viable car company! But I hope they make it.
"The company had previously stated that the SP:01 will be the world's fastest production electric vehicle, with a top speed of 155mph and a 0-60mph sprint time of 3.7sec. Tesla's Model S manages the 0-62mph sprint in 4.2sec, but the recently announced dual-motor version is capable of 0-60mph in just 3.2sec."
And the Model S 85D has a claimed top speed of 155.
The article says the range is "180 miles". Hmm...the Tesla Roadster was better than that in 2008, and the Roadster Sport offered 3.7 sec 0-60 times four years ago.
Really, 180 mile range is rather disappointing for a car that is supposedly going to go into production in 2015.
I wish Detroit Electric all the luck in the world, but if the car is over $100K base price before options I don't think it is going to be a success long term. We all watched Tesla struggle to launch the Roadster: it's a tough road to travel to create a viable car company! But I hope they make it.
Detroit Electric SP:01 Sports Car: Final Design Announced
They just stuck an android tablet in the center. I guess there's some logic to that.
I wonder what their airbag situation is. Lotus had to stop selling the Elise in the US (and part of the reason Tesla stopped selling the Roadster was) because their advanced airbag exemption had expired.
They just stuck an android tablet in the center. I guess there's some logic to that.
I wonder what their airbag situation is. Lotus had to stop selling the Elise in the US (and part of the reason Tesla stopped selling the Roadster was) because their advanced airbag exemption had expired.
Looks like they took a picture of a lotus interior and photoshopped it lol.
So this is basically a new Tesla Roadster.
I can't see this being a big seller unless they can somehow make it much better or much cheaper than a Roadster.
So this is basically a new Tesla Roadster.
I can't see this being a big seller unless they can somehow make it much better or much cheaper than a Roadster.
Yes, that interior photo appears to show two dial type gauges, which surely Detroit Electric would not use. And the gearshift knob seems to have a manual shift pattern on it!
I hope that Detroit Electric succeeds, but I'm doubtful they can build a quality limited production EV at a price that more than a few people will want to pay. Yes, Tesla pulled it off, but just barely. By the time Detroit Electric goes into production -- which still seems to be years away -- Tesla will have or be close to having a second generation Roadster that will be incredible AND will be able to use the Supercharger network.
tonybelding
Active Member
I'm not quite sure what you mean about the gauges. And it's supposed to be a manual shifter, isn't it? Lots of EV conversion cars work that way -- and that's basically what this is, a fancy conversion car.
If it reaches production at all, I'm afraid it'll be the modern Bradley GT. Re: http://www.carbuzz.com/news/2011/7/29/Unique-of-the-Week-1980-Bradley-GT-II-Electric-Car-7704069/
EDIT: I'm reading now that the Detroit Electric with have a manual shifter standard, but a single-speed or an automatic (!) will be available options.
Regarding the gauges I meant that it would make more sense for a modern EV to use an LCD display in front of the driver, like in the Model S.
The Detroit Electric EV is gong to have a manual shift with multiple gears as standard?! That makes no sense to me. One of the joys of EV driving is the smooth, seamless acceleration. And building a clutch and transmission that can stand up to a high toque electric motor will add cost and complexity. I am skeptical that Detroit Electric will take that approach.
The Detroit Electric EV is gong to have a manual shift with multiple gears as standard?! That makes no sense to me. One of the joys of EV driving is the smooth, seamless acceleration. And building a clutch and transmission that can stand up to a high toque electric motor will add cost and complexity. I am skeptical that Detroit Electric will take that approach.
voyager
Active Member
Read that it will be 30% pricier than a Tesla roadster! Makes for an interesting business case then...
tonybelding
Active Member
The Roadster used real gauges instead of a LCD. It inherited those from the Lotus Elise. The Detroit Electric is also derived from a Lotus -- I think from the Exige, which itself was a derivative from the Elise -- so they're all close relatives. Same thing for the manual shifter. It's a Lotus shifter. (And lots of conversion EVs keep the manual gearbox, so there's no contradiction in that.)
At the risk of rehashing old battles... It seems like Detroit Electric are following Martin Eberhard's philosophy from the early days of Tesla Motors. Martin generally seems to have been the one wanting to re-use as many Lotus parts as possible to keep cost down, whereas Elon was the one demanding a custom part for this, a custom part for that.
At the risk of rehashing old battles... It seems like Detroit Electric are following Martin Eberhard's philosophy from the early days of Tesla Motors. Martin generally seems to have been the one wanting to re-use as many Lotus parts as possible to keep cost down, whereas Elon was the one demanding a custom part for this, a custom part for that.
tonybelding
Active Member
By the way... Anyone remember this?
http://image.motortrend.com/f/future/future_vehicles/10431394/112_0809_03z%2Bchrysler_future_electric_vehicles%2Bdodge_sports_car_ev.jpg
http://image.motortrend.com/f/future/future_vehicles/10431394/112_0809_03z%2Bchrysler_future_electric_vehicles%2Bdodge_sports_car_ev.jpg
JRP3
Hyperactive Member
Tony, thanks, I agree and I did understand that background, I was just trying to make the point that even though Detroit Electric is using the Elise as a base platform for their EV, I thought that this many years after Tesla did it, the next company to do it would take a more modern approach and dispense with analog style gauges and definitely use a single speed gearbox. I see no advantage to multiple forward gears in an EV designed for public roads. Limited parts of the autobahn, yes.
Gerasimental
Member
Detroit Electric build first production car
First Detroit Electric SP:01 Rolls Off The Production Line
This is great news, and I work about half a mile from their plant, so I'll be swinging around there later to see if I can ask some questions or see any activity.
Wish them the absolute best of luck. Building an EV based on a Lotus has gone well before!
First Detroit Electric SP:01 Rolls Off The Production Line
This is great news, and I work about half a mile from their plant, so I'll be swinging around there later to see if I can ask some questions or see any activity.
Wish them the absolute best of luck. Building an EV based on a Lotus has gone well before!
JRP3
Hyperactive Member
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