They’re busy folk down at Ariel. Having just completed the second-generation Nomad, not long finished the Atom R and with the Hipercar still bubbling along in the background, it has now taken the wraps off the E-Nomad concept. Serious Fun becomes Seriously Clean Fun, says Ariel.
This isn’t some powertrain swap from an old Tesla, either, with E-Nomad power coming from an all-new battery pack and motor. It’s been developed with Rockfort Engineering on the drivetrain side and Bamd Composites for some help with materials, using the grant from the Niche Vehicle Network (part of the Department of Trade). It’s the same fund that helped BAC with the hydrogen Mono, for example. Though this one isn’t for sale and Ariel has no immediate plans for production, Ariel boss Simon Saunders has suggested it demonstrates production intent for something like an E-Nomad, and is “just a small part of Ariel’s future.”
So what is it exactly? Well, the Rockfort 450-volt battery pack is bespoke to the Ariel, using new Pegasus V3 modules packed with cells said to be best in class for energy density. So that means the pack can weigh less than 300kg for its 41kWh of capacity, with power rated at 285hp and torque at 361lb ft. Heating and cooling systems including a high-voltage heater keep the pack at an optimum temperature in all weathers and on all surfaces, so this should have the same versatility as a normal Nomad. DC charging is supported, too, with a best-case scenario said to be 25 minutes from 20-80 per cent SOC. Probably not an EV to be plugged in at the local motorway services, though.
Power reaches the rear wheels via Cascadia Motion IDM90, which is a combined motor, gearbox and DX inverter drive unit which weighs 92kg. Part of the IDM 90 is a Borg electric Drive Module, which spins up to 12,000rpm, and a single-speed gearbox with reduction gearing of 8.28:1. A cooling system just for the drive unit and independent of the battery is also included. Ariel says the e-Nomad will reach 62mph in the same 3.4 seconds as the combustion car. Also like the Ecoboost model is a host of drive modes, Rockfort offering tweakable power, regen and throttle maps for different environments. Already this has Eco and Sport for more range or performance, plus one-pedal driving potential. This is something that will feature in all future versions, too.
You want to know about the bodywork. In a bid to make the E-Nomad more sustainable, offset some weight from the powertrain and boost range through better aero, a new body was built by Bamd Composites. Now the Nomad is clad in flax fibres, bolstered by ‘Power Ribs’ constructed from additional ‘bio-composite natural fibre.’ Ariels says it offers a 73 per cent saving in CO2 over carbon construction while being nine per cent lighter as well. Direct tooling (that’s recyclable at end-of-life) is believed to save more than 50 per cent in CO2 compared to traditional moulding methods. The whole project is far more than just a battery-powered Ariel; there’s a real emphasis placed on a viable zero-emissions future. The E-Nomad even features changes to its Power Delivery Management electrical system to minimise battery drain when it’s parked. It’s a fully functional prototype, right down to its ability to be left parked up.
The e-Nomad will be exhibited at the Cenex Expo at Millbrook next week; what happens from there isn’t clear, but suffice it to say this is a long-term project for Ariel. Simon Saunders added: Once it has been through our usual, gruelling testing regime we could opt to add E-Nomad alongside its ICE Nomad 2 sibling, so we’ll take great interest in customer feedback on the concept car.” So if you’re keen, let them know. But this surely won’t be the last we hear of the E-Nomad.
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