Morgan’s electrifying new roadster
Built in buildings that have become more a tourist stop than a car plant, traditional English carmaker Morgan has gone all electric with its latest roadster, says Dave Moore.
AN ELECTRIC sports car with a five-speed manual gearbox has been designed by Morgan, with the support of British technology specialists Zytek and Radshape. Shown as a concept to test market reaction, the radical new roadster could enter production if there is sufficient demand.
‘‘We wanted to see how much fun you can have in an electric sports car, so we have built one to help us find out,’’ says Morgan operations director Steve Morris.
‘‘The Plus E combines Morgan’s traditional look with hightechnology construction and a powertrain that delivers substantial torque instantly at any speed. With the manual gearbox to increase both touring range and driver involve- ment, it drive.’’
The Plus E is based on a tailored version of Morgan’s lightweight aluminium platform chassis clothed in the revised body from the new BMW V8-powered Plus 8, which was also launched at the Geneva motor show last week. Power is delivered by a new derivative of Zytek’s 70kw/ 300Nm electric motor, already proven with US vehicle makers.
Mounted in the transmission tunnel, the Zytek unit drives the rear wheels through a conventional, fivespeed manual gearbox. The clutch is retained but, because the motor provides torque from zero speed, the driver can choose to leave it engaged when coming to rest and pulling away, driving the car like a conven-
will
be a
fantastic
car
to tional automatic. ‘‘A multi-speed transmission allows the motor to spend more time operating in its sweet spot, where it uses energy more efficiently, particularly at high road speeds,’’ says Zytek Automotive managing director Neil Heslington. ‘‘It also allows us to provide lower gearing for rapid acceleration and will make the car more engaging for keen drivers.’’
Two engineering concept vehicles are being produced initially. The first will have the five-speed manual box and Li-ion batteries, and will be used for preliminary engineering assessment. The second will be closer to potential production specification, with alternative battery technologies and possibly a sequential gearbox.
‘‘The superb capability of the fin- ished car reflects the passion with which the Zytek team has applied their considerable expertise,’’ says Mr Morris. ‘‘The project is a true collaboration aimed at delivering as much driving pleasure as possible in a zero-emission vehicle. It worked really well, with aluminium fabrication specialist Radshape paying particular attention to retaining chassis stiffness and weight distribution to ensure excellent dynamics and ride quality with good steering feel.’’
The collaborative research and development project is part-funded by a grant from the British Government’s Niche Vehicle Network Programme, which was designed to promote the development of low-carbon vehicle technologies.
Zytek’s first experience with a high-performance electric sportscar was in 1997, when it converted a Lotus Elise to electric drive.
That design work has
led
to engineering programmes with Chrysler and General Motors, closely followed by a long-term relationship with Daimler to develop and build electric powertrains.