Detroit Electric showing the worlds fastest electric car in Shanghai

Billing it as the worlds fastest EV, Detroit Electric is holding the global public unveiling of the SP:01 this week at the Shanghai Motor Show. This is the first time the SP:01 is available for members of the public to view the company's "bold design and innovative EV technologies first-hand." The SP:01 went on sale in April, and the company claims they've received 35 orders already.

The Detroit Electric SP:01 is an all electric sports car whose design looks amazingly like the Tesla Roadster, or perhaps one of the Lotus sports cars. According to the company, the car is based on a vehicle procured from an unnamed automaker. However, the company's CEO is Albert Lam, formerly a top executive of Lotus Engineering, implying strongly that the SP:01 is based on a Lotus sports car. To back up the claim that it's the worlds fastest EV, the SP:01 is rated for a 155 mph (249 km/h) top speed and a 0-62mph (0-100km/h) time of 3.7 seconds. The rear-wheel drive train is a compact, mid-mounted 201 bhp electric motor (delivering 166 lb ft of torque). The chassis is based on a strong yet lightweight aluminum platform, all-new carbon-fiber bodywork and specialized performance-tuned suspension, steering and brake systems to provide class-leading ride and handling characteristics.

Based on these spec's, Detroit Electric claims the SP:01 is the world fastest production electric car.

The 37 kilowatt-hour battery pack provides a range of almost 190 miles between recharges, when tested to the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) standard. Their home charging unit gives a complete recharge in 4.3 hours. That fast of a charging time, on that size of a battery pack, would require a fairly fast charging unit. The charging unit is also designed to work with the smart grid and support bi-directional charge and discharge, allowing the SP:01 to act as a mobile energy unit. “Our research engineers at Detroit Electric have taken steps to break the mould,” adds Mr Lam. “SP:01 is more than just a sports car, it is a mobile energy unit, allowing the user to use its stored battery energy to power not just the car but even an entire home. SP:01 is equipped with bi-directional charge and discharge capability, allowing it to release its stored electrical energy to power a home.”

The company expects the SP:01 to go on sale in August 2013, and to be followed by a couple more cars in 2014. The SP:01 will be produced at the new Detroit Electric production site in Wayne Country, Michigan. The dedicated facility will have an annual capacity of 2,500 vehicles and create over 180 manufacturing and sales-related jobs over the next year. However, the company plans to manufacture and sell only 999 copies of the SP:01

“The SP:01 will be exclusive, luxurious and technologically advanced,” said Albert Lam, Detroit Electric’s Chairman and Group CEO. “It is a milestone in the history of the Detroit Electric brand, but also a significant development for the international EV sector. The car will allow us to demonstrate to the world our ability to build an exciting and innovative product, one that displays outstanding performance coupled with strong green credentials, and which delivers an exhilarating driving experience.”