The rapid development of electric powertrains has opened the door for new manufacturers to enter the game with new ideas about what constitutes a luxury car. Alcraft Motor Company, based in the UK, has announced plans to build a battery-powered shooting brake that blends big performance and luggage space in a (very, very) pretty package.
At the moment, the Alcraft GT is a speculative set of specifications rather than of a ready-to-run production vehicle. David Alcraft, founder and managing director of Alcraft, isn't courting the mass market with the car, but instead wants to develop a low-volume showcase of what can be done when old-fashioned British engineering meets modern powertrain and production techniques.
"We want to build a British car company which brings together traditional skills and high technology for the emerging low carbon car market," says Alcraft. "We're about combining great design, outstanding dynamics and the visceral thrill of electric powertrains to create products that are high in performance and desirability but very usable. We hope this will establish a niche for Alcraft Motor in Britain's renowned specialist low-volume car industry."
Rather than trying to please everybody with a conventional sedan or SUV design, the team at Alcraft has produced a stunning two-door estate, or shooting brake. The design is just a 33 percent scale model at the moment, but it shows plenty of promise. The nose has a similar look to that of the Lucid Air, while the squashed roofline and pumped wheel arches could have been lifted from the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake previewed earlier this year.
The B pillars are finished in carbon fiber, both as a styling touch and to highlight the safety cell surrounding the passengers. With a wraparound windscreen and pillar-less doors, the interior should be light and airy. It should also be practical, with 500 liters (17.7 cu.ft) of luggage space. The concept is purely electric at the moment, but Alcraft says a range extender powertrains could also be available. Things are similarly open when it comes to the seating layout: the concept is a two-seater, but the company says it could also take the form of a 2+2.
Under the skin, the all-electric prototype powertrain is expected to deliver 300 mi (483 km) of range and the batteries will be hooked up to three motors for torque-vectoring all-wheel drive. With 600 hp (447 kW) of power and 1,140 Nm (841 lb-ft) of torque on tap, it should hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. Unlike some electric cars, which store their batteries under the floor in a skateboard-style chassis, the GT would keep its batteries in a T-shaped pack between the driver and passenger seats.
Before you jump into the comments and remind us that Tesla can do it faster – we know the Model S P100D is ludicrously quick with its ability to hit the same mark in 2.5 seconds – but that shouldn't diminish the fact 3.5 seconds is very fast – supercar fast, in fact – and very few owners are likely to take their car to the drag strip.
At the moment, Alcraft is seeking £600,000 (US$777,840) on Indiegogo to put toward building a full running prototype. Pledges range from £10 (US$13) to £25,000 (US$32,400), with rewards ranging from drive days at Silverstone to bespoke watches from Matthew Humphries Design. The company will also be seeking equity funding.
If it reaches production, Alcraft plans to price the GT between £130,000 and £145,000 ($168,500 and $187,950). Fingers crossed the car makes it into production.
Source: Alcraft Motor Company
