Everyone loves an Ariel Nomad right? The look, the speed, the go-anywhere ability; the sheer unabashed Britishness of the whole thing. Every lotto win garage has space for a Nomad. But is there space for a Nomad that ditches the Honda engine for an electric drivetrain?
That's not an entirely valid question - as BorgWarner has built only one example - though it's an interesting discussion nonetheless. The car is intended to be a showcase of firm's latest technology, the Nomad's exposed design said to make it easier to switch EV bits in and out.
BorgWarner's Nomad is powered by electric motors that deliver 270hp, up from 235hp in the standard model. The battery pack is rated at 350v and 30kWh, though nothing is mentioned about how much weight is presumably added to the electric version.
The really interesting point, though, is in the torque vectoring. BorgWarner says the individual motors for each rear wheel and the eDriveGear gear sets offer improved power and durability, while also improving steering response. That's in addition to regenerative braking to boost range, which would likely prove handy when exploring in a Nomad.
Its maker describes the Nomad EV as a "fantastic tool to showcase our extensive capabilities, collaborate with industry partners and evaluate current and future technology at a system level". Borgwarner's Nomad was made without Crewkerne's official involvement - although given its own investment in EVs it doesn't seem like a production-ready electric Ariel is far away. Something to ponder anyway...