It has been announced that Delorean will be releasing an electric version of the cult classic DMC-12. For those who know nothing about popular culture or movies from the 1980's, the Delorean DMC-12 was the car used for the time machine in Back to the Future. Delorean DMC-12 is known for its stainless steel body, gullwing doors, and a rear-mid engine. The car is very stylish and I have seen a few on the roads of Houston. The Delorean had one flaw, the engine. The Delorean featured a 2.4L V6 that produces 130 hp. The Delorean goes from 0 to 60 mph in 8.8 seconds, according to the factory specs. Road and Track tested the Delorean and went from 0 to 60 mph in 10.5 seconds. The original Delorean was slow.
For 2013, the revised Delorean Motor Company, now based in Humble, Texas, just north of Houston, will be producing a Delorean powered by electricity. The 400 VAC electric motor will produce 260 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque. The motor will rev to 14,000 rpm. The transmission consists of a single gear plus reverse. The electric Delorean is expected to go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and reach a top speed 125 mph. That is a 5 mph drop in top speed but a vast improvement in acceleration.
Delorean states that the electric DMC-12 will have an electric battery range of over 100 mph, but I will believe it when I see it. The battery comes with a 7 year/100,000 mile warranty. Using a 240 V, 70 A charging station, it will take 3.5 hours to charge an empty battery. The Electric Delorean will outperform the standard Delorean DMC-12. Prices for the Electric Delorean is estimated to be between $90,000 and $100,000. The Electric Delorean will not be available until 2013.
The Electric Delorean will be better than the Nissan Leaf, but it will be no Tesla Roadster. I cannot resist comparing the Electric Delorean to the Tesla Roadster. The Tesla Roadster goes from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and can go over 200 miles on one charge. The Roadster starts at $109,000, but it will be discontinued in early 2012. The Tesla is a better car, but it won't be around when the Electric Delorean hits the roads. But compared to other electric vehicles, the Electric Delorean is great. It is just no Telsa Roadster.
CarJunkie
Photo taken from a digital camera. Photos are of standard Deloreans, not the Electric Delorean.
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It's already been done by an Australian electrical engineer named Brett Sutherland.
ReplyDeleteI saw the car today (it has been running for a couple of months now) and went for a drive in it.
It is the real deal and the work is beautiful, not at all scrappy or scruffy.
Brett's car develops 130 kilowatts (about 175bhp) and has 500 Newton metres of torque. It is ultra-smooth on the highway.