Ebay Lotus Turns Into Supercar

[Mark H]

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/storyr...3A45%3A16%3A173

 

Buy a Lotus on eBay, hire an A-team of motorsport engineers and set to work building an electric supercar of the future.

 

Ecotricity founder Dale Vince has done just that.

 

The 47-year-old green electricity executive has a team of world-class engineers working at a secret workshop, just outside Norwich, building a car designed to do 0-60mph in four seconds, go at more than 140mph and run on a battery which can be fully charged over lunch.

 

With his turbines generating electricity from the wind, the passionate environmentalist is determined that his £300,000 budget will produce a supercar run on electricity generated by the wind.

 

Mr Vince said: “I was looking for a greener way to get around, being an environmentalist. There were no cars that could be brought, so I thought I should look to try and make one.”

 

Mr Vince was already working closely with Lotus, who are planning to build a wind farm in their test track, and the original plan was to get their engineers on the job.

 

“In the end we assembled our own team”, he said.

 

 

The mechanics he picked, who he has dubbed his dedicated A-team, have a wealth of experience between them and some have worked for Lotus and developed Formula One cars.

 

The electric supercar is being built in a matter of months, on a £300,000 budget and using car parts from across the world.

 

A lithium battery from the U.S, an electric motor from Asia but the “donor” car or chassis is a Lotus Exige bought second-hand off eBay.

 

Mr Vince said: “It's not really a Lotus anymore. We have redesigned the body completely. We bought the car off eBay because it is a convenient way to buy things.”

 

He is hoping the project, although for his personal use at the moment, will turn into a statement about the need to develop green cars.

 

He said: “We need to address how we are going to get around in five to ten years time when we cannot afford oil.

 

“It's our way of saying to people: 'you've got to think about the future'.”

 

“Car companies are not doing enough about electric cars. Big companies are taking years to do something that smaller companies can do cheaper and quicker.”

 

At the moment the “A-team” are keen to keep a low profile and the location of the workshop can not be disclosed.

 

But Mr Vince is confident the project is within the £300,000 budget, the wheels are already turning on the car and it is expected to be track tested next month.

 

Although at the moment it is a one-off project, Mr Vince said they may put it into production.

 

“This could turn into a limited edition”, he said.

 

“Norfolk has an awful lot of motor engineers, there's a lot of talent.”

 

# Follow the progress of the Windcar on Dale Vince's blog www.zerocarbonista.com.