Iconic 115-year-old sports car brand to build its first-ever EV – but it won’t be for years, boss reveals
AN ICONIC British sports car company will be making its first electric vehicle, but not any time soon.
Morgan Motor Company will provide its first electric sportscar in the future, but not within the next five years.
The company is still waiting for the technology to catch up with the requirements of their brand until it will release an EV.
Boss of Morgan, Matthew Hole, told Topgear.com that an electric sportscar won’t be coming any time soon from them as they will “stick with internal combustion for as long as possible.
“That’s the DNA of our cars and it’s what our customers want”, he continued.
Hole revealed that Morgan is currently running an electric programme in parallel with the development of internal combustion engines.
However, until the weight of tech is optimised and solid state batteries become available, the existence of a Morgan EV will not be on the cards.
Hole added: “For us, it is all about building lightweight sportscars that are great to drive”.
The announcement comes amid concerns around the UK’s mandated electrification timeline.
The zero emission vehicle mandate requires mainstream motor firms to reach an 80% EV mix by 2030.
However, manufacturers selling fewer than 2,500 vehicles a year are currently exempt.
The 115-year old company is reported to produce 850 cars annually, with orders on a six month waiting list.
Therefore, Morgan is for now not among those having to develop an all-electric motor in the coming years.
The iconic sportscar brand unveiled its newest Plus Six model of the Supersport vehicle last month, with Top Gear legend Richard Hammond.
In a video posted to the Morgan Motor Company YouTube channel, the new Supersport’s removable hard-top roof and 3.0-litre inline-six engine sourced from BMW were revealed.
Morgan’s had a powertrain partnership with BMW for more than two decades now, with the two in talks about a potential EV programme.
Hold said: “We need longevity, and with engines and the size of business we are, we can’t afford to change the powertrain every five years or so – we need 10-15 years”.
Insurance company Admiral have listed their cheapest electric vehicles to insure. Here they are in order of cost to insure, also available on Sun Motors:
Top 5 cheapest electric vehicles to insure
- Lexus LBX – (Average annual premium: £622.23) is the smallest Lexus, that means luxury driving, excellent in-car entertainment, a lush interior and a smooth ride.
- Cupra Born – (Average annual premium: £623.33) is an all-electric hot hatch that’s fast and a little furious.
- Volkswagen ID – (Average annual premium: £626.24) a small(ish), city-style SUV that’s leading VW’s all electric range. It’s a reliable and robust car that’s aimed at the urban market.
- Honda E:Ny1 – (Average annual premium: £633.04) a practical electric vehicle with above-average performance and battery life, slightly let down by slow(er) battery charging time when compared to rivals.
- Mini Cooper Electric – (Average annual premium: £641.07) is a huge amount of fun to drive with great handling. Space is limited, but the clue is in the name with a battery-powered motor.