Piëch Mark Zero Concept – Electric Two-Seater Targeted for 2022
Aside from the new Tesla Roadster, this Piëch Mark Zero is the only upcoming electric sports car I've seen that I feel like I might be able to take seriously. Even though it hasn't been unveiled yet, this preview article is sprinkled with hints of it being the Real Deal.
Quote: The car will be built on a flexible platform and has a '60s–'70s look, intending to appeal to enthusiasts who want an old-school immersive driving experience.
Yes! That's exactly what I want in a sports car. It's also what I feel like I've got from my 2010 Tesla Roadster.
I like the styling. They're right. Sports cars in the 1970s did look fantastic, and they've channeled a bit of that style, so much better than the gargoyle or Transformer's toy supercars of today.
I like the specs, which seem like a fair step up from my Roadster in range and performance, but there's no attempt to break world records here. They don't use the word "hypercar" or brag about its invitation-only "exclusivity" or 7-figure price tag or 4-figure horsepower rating, so maybe this is a real car and not a B.S. car.
Now the bad news…
This will have an "innovative" air-cooled battery. Have we learned nothing from the Leaf? Also, the battery will be partly in a central tunnel, and another part in the rear above the motors. No skateboard. In fact, "The platform is designed to be extremely flexible; beyond a relatively lightweight battery pack, it could host a hydrogen powertrain, a plug-in-hybrid powertrain, and even conventionally powered engines." Yay. :|
Also, I don't see any kind of removable roof panel. No convertible, no targa top? Driving an open-top electric car is such a lovely experience, it would be tough to give that up.
And the other bad news is that they foresee testing prototypes this year and selling cars in 2022. Waiting for the new Tesla Roadster is hard enough. Adding another couple of years onto that isn't what I really want to hear. (But hey… By the time it arrives, the CCS charging network should be built out pretty well!)
Aside from the new Tesla Roadster, this Piëch Mark Zero is the only upcoming electric sports car I've seen that I feel like I might be able to take seriously. Even though it hasn't been unveiled yet, this preview article is sprinkled with hints of it being the Real Deal.
Quote: The car will be built on a flexible platform and has a '60s–'70s look, intending to appeal to enthusiasts who want an old-school immersive driving experience.
Yes! That's exactly what I want in a sports car. It's also what I feel like I've got from my 2010 Tesla Roadster.
I like the styling. They're right. Sports cars in the 1970s did look fantastic, and they've channeled a bit of that style, so much better than the gargoyle or Transformer's toy supercars of today.
I like the specs, which seem like a fair step up from my Roadster in range and performance, but there's no attempt to break world records here. They don't use the word "hypercar" or brag about its invitation-only "exclusivity" or 7-figure price tag or 4-figure horsepower rating, so maybe this is a real car and not a B.S. car.
Now the bad news…
This will have an "innovative" air-cooled battery. Have we learned nothing from the Leaf? Also, the battery will be partly in a central tunnel, and another part in the rear above the motors. No skateboard. In fact, "The platform is designed to be extremely flexible; beyond a relatively lightweight battery pack, it could host a hydrogen powertrain, a plug-in-hybrid powertrain, and even conventionally powered engines." Yay. :|
Also, I don't see any kind of removable roof panel. No convertible, no targa top? Driving an open-top electric car is such a lovely experience, it would be tough to give that up.
And the other bad news is that they foresee testing prototypes this year and selling cars in 2022. Waiting for the new Tesla Roadster is hard enough. Adding another couple of years onto that isn't what I really want to hear. (But hey… By the time it arrives, the CCS charging network should be built out pretty well!)
