Morgan is known for being a traditional car manufacturer, but that hasn't stopped it from looking to the future. Having promised a fully hybridized range by 2019, the boutique British brand has used the Geneva Motor Show to whip the covers off a fully electric version of its three-wheeler with a 241 km (150 mi) range.
Instead of the V-Twin motor attached to the front of the regular 3-Wheeler, the EV3 is powered by a 46 kW (62 hp) electric motor attached to the rear wheel. That's not a heap of power, but having one less wheel than regular car helps keep its weight down to under 500 kg (1102 lb).
That light weight means the low-power EV will hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 9 seconds, with a claimed range of 241 km (150 miles). The car's (trike's?) low kerb weight also means it only needs a 20 kWh liquid cooled battery to achieve these figures, as opposed to the minimum 75 kWh battery size Tesla needs to power a full sized, heavy family sedan.
As is traditional for Morgan, the EV3 is built around an ash wood frame. What isn't traditional is the asymmetrical layout of the three headlamps, which work in tandem with the brass battery cooling fins to give the EV a unique and, to our eyes at least, attractive face.
The EV3 is also packing something a bit more modern on top of the frame. The car's bonnet, tonneau cover and side pods are all made of carbon fiber in the United Kingdom, with the rest of the body panels shaped out of aluminum.
Add to that the unique sidepods on the flanks, plus an interior that combines a classic layout with beautiful materials, and the whole EV3 looks like a well thought out addition to the Morgan lineup.
Okay, it's not going to be giving Tesla or Rimac's engineers any sleepless night, but that's not really the point.
Morgan describes the vehicle shown in Geneva as a " final pre-production phase" car. It's expected to go into production later this year and "will be priced comparably to thepetrol 3 Wheeler," which starts at £31,000 (US$44,200).
You can check out the launch video below.
Source: Morgan
