Caterham Project V Updates

Slonie · Thursday at 07:08 PM

It's a big week for the Project V as they're showing the existing concept at CES in Las Vegas, and then the new first functional demonstrator is going to debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon.

This article has plenty of (often cheeky) details, many of which are relevant to the US market, such as the intent to bring it here, and the target price (now raised to $135k, ouch).

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a69934972/caterham-new-ev-sports-car-america-details/

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"We have ignored America as a market for 50 years, and that's ridiculous, because you guys are all loaded," he said, laughing. "We’re going to take America very seriously as of this week. We are looking to sell a lot of these over here."

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"I don’t think $130,000 is outrageous in any way," he said. "I think not only us, but a lot of people are sitting around waiting for Porsche to finally pull the trigger on their EV Boxster and Cayman. I'd love to know what they're going to sell those for. Whatever happens, those will have a lot more power than this car, but they won't be as much fun to drive. We're still going to have that true gearhead customer, who is going to prefer us over another Porsche on a skateboard."

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"We know how our drivers drive," Gardiner said. "Catherham drivers like to thrash the hell out of their cars. So let's put it another way. We don’t really care about charging time. We care about discharge time. If somebody's draining those batteries really, really fast, a lot of EVs will go into limp mode because they're overheating. We know our customers are going to do that. We just know they are. So we have to make the battery packs work."

Edited Thursday at 07:10 PM by Slonie

Slonie · Thursday at 07:13 PM

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Caterham will continue to sell the Seven roadster when the Project V comes out, but the two will likely be sold through different dealer networks. The company is rethinking how to sell vehicles in the U.S. as it prepares to launch the Project V.

Oh, and this is rather interesting too. I wonder what their plan actually is.

Reiver · Thursday at 10:30 PM

Not a great time to be pushing an ev. IMO a money black hole.

Edited Thursday at 10:30 PM by Reiver

williamwashere · Thursday at 10:41 PM

My daily is a Rivian R1T, and my wife drives a Model Y. I'm all-in on Electric, it's the future for non-pleasure driving.

This EV is awful. It's simply a worse... everything. Only a 4.5s 0-60 for a $135k EV? Low 200 miles (the 249 mile number in the article is the European measurement, the EPA numbers are lower), 400V architecture so it doesn't charge quickly, and what looks like parts-bin infotainment. And 100KW charging is BEST CASE based on temp and battery status. I cry when my R1T only gets 125KW charging because of temps or something.

Remove the infotainment, take out one of the two batteries they have in it and make it a REALLY low mileage EV, make a track machine. You won't sell this thing to daily drivers with this configuration or specs...

williamwashere · Thursday at 10:47 PM

A Tesla Model 3 Performance does 2.8s 0-60, 300 miles of range (EPA range), charges faster, and is $66k or lower depending on if Tesla is having a demand-generating sale.

If you just can't buy a Tesla anymore, a Porsche EV is $110k. You're killing me Caterham :'(.

KnifeySpoony · Friday at 02:44 AM

Your Rivian is almost 3x the weight. If Caterham can achieve their goals, it seems like their EV could be lighter than the original Tesla roadster. I think that is the point - not 0-60 or charge times.

williamwashere · Friday at 04:19 AM

1 hour ago, KnifeySpoony said:

Your Rivian is almost 3x the weight. If Caterham can achieve their goals, it seems like their EV could be lighter than the original Tesla roadster. I think that is the point - not 0-60 or charge times.

I agree with you but not at that price or performance. My Rivian certainly wouldn’t feel like a Caterham or any track car at that weight, but for $130k before any options I’d really like a sporty EV that can beat a 620R at the same price. Do you really want to buy a slower vehicle around a track that’s more expensive than a 620R for 620 money? The Rivian’s top trim is $30k less. A Tesla is similarly cheaper and it’s even faster.

I was really hoping they’d do a Lotus 7 chassis with axial flux hub motors or something, a real track star. Keep it light but then get performance out of it.

I would love to be proven wrong, and when we get to see it on the track and hear how it feels I could end up eating crow. But on paper… it’s just not what I was hoping for from them.

If they do a track day here in the US and invite Seven owners I’ll try it and wear a silly hat and T-shirt if I’m wrong!

KnifeySpoony · Friday at 04:49 AM

They have the EV 7 mule they've shown some. Hopefully they will release that as well. More options is never a bad thing imo. That said, I'm not holding my breath about the Project V actually coming to fruition.

Slonie · Friday at 10:27 PM

I'm optimistic for the Project V and even heartened by them saying they're planning to bring it to the US, but the things I don't like are

- The cost overrun into Porsche 911 territory

- Potentially throwing their US dealers under the bus by hypothesizing an "alternate dealership network" while also claiming they've "ignored the US market for 50 years" (I'll let the "you're all loaded" slide for now).

This all said, the Tokyo Auto Salon has begun and I've spotted my first photos from the show floor (from: https://www.instagram.com/p/DTR0-d-j4VS/ )

So far I can spot new wheels, new color, new side skirts and lower cladding, and new real door handles (no longer flush), new mirrors, and now-functional cooling visible behind the front grilles. I think we have new taillights too but these photos didn't show the whole back.

ICYMI, the car shown at Tokyo Auto Salon is purportedly a functional prototype as opposed to the show car/roller they debuted previously (and is now the white one on the show floor at CES)

Slonie · Friday at 10:45 PM

Not a lot of or even any good photos in the PR piece but Caterham posted their press release on the TAS prototype here:

https://caterhamcars.com/us/news-us/project-v-latest-prototype-unveiled-at-tokyo-auto-salon

They also talk about updates to the interior while, frustratingly, not showing it. Finally, they note that this prototype uses a tubular spaceframe, which makes sense for a prototype (or a car from Caterham in general) but I wonder if the final car will utilize that type of construction.

KnifeySpoony · Friday at 11:27 PM

I assume some of the structure will carry over from the Audi TT for cost savings/ease in homologation.

Slonie · Saturday at 03:33 AM

Found some official pics showing the significantly different interior (now with such real-world niceties as seatbelts and door handles)as well as the new rather generic taillights.