Thursday 21st May 2009

Electric Ariel Plans Revealed

Ariel hatches bold new scheme for a 'future-tech' sportscar

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No skeletal frame for new model

Lightweight sports car manufacturer Ariel has told PistonHeads it is considering building a new lightweight sports car away from the mould of the Atom.

Plans for the new car are still in their infancy, but Ariel boss Simon Saunders told PH that a new and ‘interesting’ model was being discussed that would break new ground in the same way that the Atom first did.

Saunders believes the future of the car industry lies away from the combustion engine, and will therefore be looking to new technologies such as fuel cells and electric powertrains for his company's new project.

Ariel had harboured plans for a new minimalist supercar built around a massive 12-litre engine, producing in the region of 600-800bhp. That project has been shelved even before the number of engine cylinders was decided upon. Instead Ariel's new car will focus on maintaining the company’s key principles of lightweight construction and maximum accelerative performance through the use of innovative new technologies.

V8 Atom will produce 500bhp

The new model will depart from the exposed skeletal structure of the Atom and adopt a more recognisable form, although Saunders insists the new car will not be a conventional mid-engined sports car and will still be made in low numbers to help maintain the firm’s flexibility. 'We don’t want to take on the established manufacturers' he says. 'We will use our knowledge from building the Atom to produce a car for a totally new segment.'

Development of the new Ariel sports car is still several years away, however, and in the meantime the firm is forging ahead with its plan to introduce a new version of the Atom, using a 3.0-litre, 500bhp V8 engine. It is also exploring the possibility of returning to the roots of the Ariel name with the production of a motorcycle.

[MICK E90 M3]

I want the v8 one.

[posterboy]

2.4-litre, 500bhp V8

Can it get any better??

[GPT]

2.4 litre V8 500hp

Hmmm, two motorbike engines bolted together a la Radical SR8? I would imagine it'll rev well into 5 figures, but will it need forced induction to make 500hp I seem to remember Radical saying they needed to up the capacity of the SR8 from 2.6 to 3.0 litres to get 450hp.

Either way, I want one.

Edited by GPT on Thursday 21st May 11:38

[Ollieb7]

I like the idea of the freindly one - but i do like the idea of the 500hp Evil one! :-)

[jimpritchard]

they are surely not going to call it al electric ariel thought are they?

[PhantomPH]

I would still like to see this : http://www.wrightspeed.com/x1.html becoming an official 'Ariel' supplied car.

Glad they are doing well enough to be able to expand. Keep up the good work!

P~

[The Wookie]

jimpritchard said:

they are surely not going to call it al electric ariel thought are they?

Agreed, someone might try to fill up the interior with Calgon

[Alex_L]

"Saunders believes the future of the car industry lies away from the combustion engine" does that mean we'll be called "ElectroHeads"? Sounds geeky. Its good that small company like this is looking into the far future, though. Sertainly more forward facing than some of bigger manufacturers.

Does anyone know what engines are used in the V8? Is it the Yamaha R1 * 2?

[Mr Gear]

The idea of a lightweight, sporty Ariel motorcycle would be awesome.

[V88Dicky]

Didn't the Caparo go down that route with a tiny V8 made up from motorbike engines, and horrendous reliability and maintenance issues?

[V8 GRF]

Alex_L said:

Does anyone know what engines are used in the V8?

It's this one I think

http://www.h1v8.com/page/page/1562068.htm

I guy in the US has built one for his own use while developing a 4WD lightweight trackcar. It might well be the same guy who's developing the electric elements.

Edited by V8 GRF on Thursday 21st May 12:13

[Milks]

an electric car would have to be called the electron surely

[Mr Gear]

V88Dicky said:

Didn't the Caparo go down that route with a tiny V8 made up from motorbike engines, and horrendous reliability and maintenance issues?

There's nothing wrong with the V8s. I think the Caparo's problems were more fundamental than that.

[Fume troll]

As if 330 hp wasn't enough. Brilliant.

Cheers,

FT.

[astrsxi77]

I told you already; look both ways for the electric bandwagon before crossing the road!

[spoonoff]

Suprising that Ariel want to go down this route as heavy batteries seem at odd with their light-weight philosophy.

[SpunkyM]

Batteries won't be using lead plates.

[shalmaneser]

spoonoff said:

Suprising that Ariel want to go down this route as heavy batteries seem at odd with their light-weight philosophy.

Yeah but fuel cells are quite light for their power capacity; this is a 'future tech' atom, remember. I agree that the chances of an ariel atom carting round a pile of Li-Po/Li-Ion batteries seems unlikely.

[Mr Gear]

spoonoff said:

Suprising that Ariel want to go down this route as heavy batteries seem at odd with their light-weight philosophy.

Well if you start with a light car in the first place, you don't need many heavy batteries!

[clonmult]

shalmaneser said:

spoonoff said:

Suprising that Ariel want to go down this route as heavy batteries seem at odd with their light-weight philosophy.

Yeah but fuel cells are quite light for their power capacity; this is a 'future tech' atom, remember. I agree that the chances of an ariel atom carting round a pile of Li-Po/Li-Ion batteries seems unlikely.

Even though its already been done - the wrightspeed x1, listed somewhere above here.