Thursday, March 1, 2012

Roding Roadster Supercar To Have All-Electric Version


There is something happening with electric cars that not even the most ardent detractors can argue against; they are becoming something of an accessory for rich people. With the Geneva Auto Show just a week away, Roding Automotive has announced that its Roadster 23 will be on display. What won’t be on display is an all-electric version the tiny Swiss company is also working on.

Limited to just 23 examples (exclusivity = $$$), the Roding Roadster 23 will make use of a turbocharged inline-six engine from BMW that will deliver 320 horsepower and 322 ft-lbs of torque. Carbon fiber and aluminum parts are being used to keep the weight down to an estimated 2,090 lbs. You don’t have to be a math whiz to know that much power in that light of a car will deliver serious acceleration.

This gas-powered variant will be on display at next week’s Geneva Auto Show. The all-electric version of the Roadster 23 won’t be there, though Roding did release several crucial details regarding this EV supercar. Using a Siemens battery pack and two electric motors, the EV version will deliver a maximum of 320 horsepower and 1,844 ft-lbs of torque. Continuous power is in the range 126 horsepower and 738 ft-lbs of torque, though the battery pack bumps the weight up to 2,475 lbs.

That’s still lighter than 90% of the cars on the road, and the renderings make it look pretty dang sharp. But we’ll have to wait until next week for a full look at this new supercar. The EV version will no doubt carry a price premium on an already-expensive car, and it is sure to become another accessory for wealthy people riding the trend of clean supercars, which is fine by me. Most people want what the rich people have, and if it helps make electric cars seem cool, I am all for it.


Source: Gas2.0

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