McClaren Designers Plan New Electric Car

Car enthusiasts may be keen to know that Gordon Murray Design and Zytek Automotive have announced plans of a new all-electric car which aims to be the best of its type in the world.

The design process started with a clean sheet of paper, as the partners plan to build the world’s most efficient electric car, currently named the T.27.

The vehicle, which is expected to be completed by February 2011, is deigned to seat three, be smaller than a Smart car but have more interior space.

The cost of designing and manufacturing the car is estimated to be around the £9 million mark, half of which is being funded by investment from the government-backed Technology Strategy board.

The groundbreaking design, yet to be revealed, and the manufacturing process are the work of Gordon Murray Design, headed by ex F1 engineer and man behind the famous McLaren F1 supercar, Gordon Murray. Zytek Automotive is also contributing to the design by providing the purpose-built electric drivetrain, having already supplied electric drive solutions to a wide range of European and US vehicle manufacturers.

Key features of the unique vehicle include low weight and maximum efficiency, with the T.27’s design avoiding the use of traditional construction techniques including stamped steal and existing gearbox and drivetrain components, such as batteries and electric motors.

The custom design of the vehicle is intended to be a total solution from the way it is build to perform on the road.

According to the designers, there would be no compromise in safety, performance, range, space, weight, rolling resistance and ride quality.

The ultimate aim of the T.27 is to see a world-leading electric city car that is efficient, safe and fun, and developed here in the UK.