McLaren considers electric future
Company boss says EV development starting alongside that of future hybrid models
As soon as the formal presentation was over the assembled hack-pack surrounded CEO Mike Flewitt, not to crunch some more numbers but to get a chance to talk about new product. Although much of what he said was as we've reported it on PH before, there were some fascinating new nuggets as well.
Flewitt admitted that development of the EV mule the company is developing to gauge reaction to an electron-fuelled Macca has already started. "We're working with two or three different partners on electric motors and batteries," he said. "We'll build it into an existing architecture, it may even end up being the [Sports Series] architecture initially, maybe with a conventional suspension system, because we want to learn step-by-step."
The plan, apparently, is to initially build a single prototype, but then follow this with a limited run of what are likely to be Ultimate Series (P1 level) EVs to gauge reaction among McLaren's well-heeled clientele. "We'll evolve it into a limited run product to put out there and see how customers use the car. If you take the car out on the track, for example, even with a power dense battery you'll drain it in no time at all," explained Flewitt.
McLaren hasn't fully committed to creating a full production EV as part of its Vision 2022 plan, which will see 15 new models or variants launched in the next six years. It genuinely is a voyage of discovery for McLaren's engineering and design team; with one possible outcome being that the world isn't ready for an electric car yet.
"One of things we debate all the time in-house is the noise and vibration," Flewitt said. "With our cars we tune noise, we don't just try to obliterate it. If you've driven a 650S and a 675LT back-to-back one of the things that communicates, even at fairly low speed, is a little more vibration that comes through in the 675 from the way the engine is mounted in the car. Little things like that can be very important, but they all vanish [when you remove the engine]. From a personal perspective I don't like fakery, I want it to be authentic, so what I'd love to do is create characteristics that are equally compelling. We won't end up having a music system playing the noise of a V8 when you're driving on batteries. That would be crap."
We already know that McLaren is working on a smaller engine - we believe it will be a V6 developed from the same architecture as the existing V8 family - with Flewitt also hinting that this will only be offered in conjunction with the performance-boosting hybrid system the company has already said it's developing. "We'll continue to downsize, we've got to address emissions because markets are putting ever more pressure on us," he admitted. "We would design something with the capability to integrate hybrid in an efficient way, rather than being bolt-on - it's integrated from day one. That's the focus."
More when we have it!
Perhaps pass an increasing current through control surfaces the closer your foot is to the floor? Surely that would provide the authenticity required?
Err, I think Tesla have proved that the world is ready for EV's, having sold over 100,000 Model S' worldwide in 3 years of production...! If they put a carbon fibre, two-seat supercar body on it and improved the chassis dynamics (namely via weight reduction and improved suspension/steering) they would have a supercar out the box, but that isn't their mission.
As for an EV supercar, McLaren are perfectly suited to launch such a vehicle - as someone else said, they don't have the heritage to worry about that could create a backlash amongst purists and fans, they have always been driven by technology...
I'm really beginning to understand how my late father felt about the internet: Confusion and worry.
I guess I'm now at the age where I've stopped progressing and adopting new stuff. I don't listen to new music. I'm not terribly fond of fashion. I don't facebook/Instagram/snapchat. And I prefer my sportscars to be of original 60s and 70s vintage.
I suppose it's a pipe and slippers for me now.
1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
2. Anything that's invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
3. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.”
― Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt
1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.
2. Anything that's invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.
3. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.”
? Douglas Adams, The Salmon of Doubt
I'm really beginning to understand how my late father felt about the internet: Confusion and worry.
I look forward to seeing how the tech pans out over time, whether EV's are the future is yet to be seen but given the advancements already made and the way tech in general is now so well integrated into everyday life, it does seem the next natural step.
For us petrol heads, we may need to stockpile the good old IC engines while we can.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AssSdA77GMU
This is the way things are going like it or not!
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff