Detroit Electric car breaks cover

American electric car manufacturer Detroit Electric reveals SP:01 sports car design.

The sleek final exterior design of the pure electric two-seater is unveiled as the company gears up for production in the UK.

The Lotus Elise-based car will be built at a new production facility in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

Detroit Electric claims the SP:01 will be capable of 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 155mph when it goes on sale in 2015 – the world’s fastest production electric sports car.

“The final design of SP:01 incorporates signature Detroit Electric design DNA, carried over from the prototype model we revealed last year,” said Jerry Chung, Head of Design at Detroit Electric.

“Coupled with many motorsport visual cues, the new fastback design, bold face and sharp contours evoke the company’s vision of pure electric performance.”

The most striking element of the design is the bold new fastback configuration, which replaces the prototype’s flying buttresses on either side of the rear window.

History

Detroit Electric is one of the oldest players in the electric vehicle sector, beginning life in 1906.

The brand was revived in 2008 by Albert Lam, former Group CEO of the Lotus Engineering Group and Executive Director of Lotus Cars.