Morgan launches three-wheeled Morgan EV3 at Geneva
01 March 2016
The Morgan Motor Company is launching the three-wheeled Morgan EV3, the company’s first production electric vehicle, at the Geneva Motor Show. Following a soft launch of the Phase 1 EV3 mule vehicle in 2015, Morgan is showcasing the final pre-production phase car with restyled body and interior.
Fitted with a 20 kWh Li-ion battery pack and a liquid-cooled 46 kW motor driving the rear wheel, and weighing less than 500 kg (1,100 lbs), the all-electric 3 Wheeler has a range of 150 miles (241 km). Early indications suggest a minimum 0-62 mph time of less than 9 seconds and a top speed in excess of 90 mph (145 km/h).
The EV3 is the first Morgan vehicle with composite carbon panels in its body construction. The carbon hood, tonneau cover and side pods are made in the UK, and much like the remaining aluminium panels, are hand worked over an ash wood frame. Taking inspiration from 1930’s aero-engine race cars, classic motorcycles and 1950’s fantasy automatons, the face of the EV3 is designed to function. Brass conductive cooling fins encase the batteries and an off-center tri-bar headlight adds to the overall asymmetry of the design.
The EV3 will go into production in the fourth quarter of 2016 will be priced comparably to the petrol 3 Wheeler. This launch coincides with an announcement that the Morgan Motor Company will receive government funding towards a £6-million (US$8.3-million) consortium-based project developing future hybrid and full EV Morgan vehicles.
The technologies developed through this project will be introduced progressively on Morgan’s range of hand-built sports cars from 2019, with hybrid propulsion available on all of its models by the end of the decade.
You have to love this.
English eccentrics at their best.
You can see that the efficiency is very good (due to very low weight) even though the aerodynamics look awful. The trick is to make a car as light as this that looks OK, and this is a difficult problem. Morgan have solved it with their "traditional" 3 wheeler, and maybe Riversimple, but it is hard to do well for a mass market vehicle and mindset.
However, it is a serious matter - if we could find a way of getting people into 500 Kg cars (certainly for urban/suburban use), we could easily go electric without any new technology.
In an aside, you won't help congestion much as the 3 wheelers are as wide as normal 4 wheelers and occupy a full lane.
Posted by: mahonj | 01 March 2016 at 01:32 AM
More and more such vehicles products will ultimately produce light small. Electric cars which will free the world from pollution and conjestion.
Posted by: Nirmalkumar | 01 March 2016 at 02:49 AM
Ultra light (500 Kg or less) city short range electric vehicles (for two people) could be built today. Such vehicles would be easier to park and could easily run at 120 to 150 MPGe.
Autonomous drive extended (longer) similar units for 4 people could further reduce downtown traffic, GHG and pollution.
Unfortunately, they will not be mass produced unless heavily subsidised because profits seem to come by weight. Heavier SUVs are where manufacturers are going, regardless if they are required or not.
Posted by: HarveyD | 01 March 2016 at 10:30 AM
Over 80% of Canadians will live in Provinces with a carbon tax by mid-2016.
Posted by: HarveyD | 02 March 2016 at 10:44 AM
Back to the future
Posted by: dursun | 06 March 2016 at 01:46 PM