LONDON — Gordon Murray, one of the world's foremost F1 designers, set the automotive world buzzing earlier this year with the semi-unveiling of his T.25 city car. Now his company, Gordon Murray Design, has teamed with technology provider Zytek Automotive to create a companion model, a mini-EV dubbed T.27.
The U.K.-government-backed Technology Strategy Board is providing $7.5 million in seed money, enough to enable the partners to develop and build four prototypes by February 2011.
Murray, the former McLaren designer, describes the pint-size, lightweight T.27 as "the world's most efficient electric car" and says it will be slightly smaller than a Smart, but with more interior space.
According to the company, "The motor, power electronics and gearbox will form a single, highly integrated unit designed specifically for the performance requirements of the T.27, but offering scalability to heavier vehicles as required."
Murray told the BBC that the T.27 will be able to reach 60 mph and is designed to travel up to 100 miles between charges.
The government investment aims to study the feasibility of producing the T.27 in the U.K.
Inside Line says: The Energizer Bunny will like this one. — Paul Lienert, Correspondent
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smihal says:
05:27 PM, 11/06/2009
For all the hype surrounding this project, I'm not impressed. 60mph top speed and a 100mile range? Not exactly groudbreaking. Depends on the price I supposed. At $10,000 this is fantastic, at $20,000 not so much.