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The Watt Electric Vehicle Company (WEVC) has unveiled the EV Coupe, a classic shape inspired by the 1955 Porsche 356A. WEVC is not connected with Porsche AG. WEVC does not imply that any of their products are a product of Porsche AG, nor are the Porsche or 356 names used or associated with WEVC products. So why would we think WEVC is on a slippery slope?
WEVC says that there are many changes to the EV Coupe’s exterior and interior surfaces, yet it resembles the 356. Their composite body is more rounded, and aerodynamic.
Headquartered at Rally Prep, in Saint Columb, United Kingdom, Watt is the latest company to carve out a new EV niche. Their two-seat, mid-motored, rear-wheel driven mixes retro style with modern EV construction. A real-world sports car that complies with modern safety standards.
WEVC has created their own platform, made of bonded aluminum. Including the battery case in the chassis saved weight, and made it more organized structurally. Powered by a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery, there’s also a 120kW mid-mounted electric motor. This gives the EV Coupe near 50-50 weight distribution, and a 2,200-pound curb weight.
The interior uses high-end, lightweight materials. Modern sports car creature comforts, such as air-conditioning and mobile connectivity, are included.
WEVC has conducted ample original testing, with more to come. Production cars will have a worldwide light vehicle test procedure (WLTP) range of 230 miles. Launch Edition Coupes will reach zero-62 MPH in about five seconds.
“With our new vehicle we wanted a light, appealing sports car, positioned at the opposite end of the range from the current trend building powerful, fast accelerating, but heavy electric cars, said Neil Yates, WEVC founder and owner. “The EV Coupe’s focus is on occupying the driver, while providing enjoyment at the same time. It has a comfortable ride and excellent response, with a double wishbone suspension, 16-inch wheels and low-profile tires, and a handling balance that is entertaining.”
The EV Coupe’s advanced development will continue over the coming months ahead of a production car reveal in late summer. Manufacturing will begin in November, with deliveries beginning in early 2022. Launch Edition Coupes will start at $113,050. We reached out to WEVC for a comment about the car’s design, but did not hear back from them prior to posting our story.
[Images: Watt EV Company]
Good luck at that price. :-/
That’ll be a very efficient EV that fits a Miata-like niche. On the other hand, $113k doesn’t fit that well.
Somebody at Watt needs to recalculate their price-demand curve, because I don’t see more than a few dozen of these ever finding a home at that price.
A fun buggy for some wealthy celebs and tech domos. I don’t see them ever paying off the investment in design and tooling. You can buy a real Porsche for that money.
I see three pedals.
WTF?
also, YAY!
Well, with a 40kWh battery it will not weigh 2200 lbs, try 3000 lbs. and it will not have a 200+ mile range. These facts alone indicate that it has not really been designed yet. So no, it will not become a reality, and it wouldn’t have enough buyers at $113k to justify it. These people lack basic math skills.
“with a 40kWh battery it will not weigh 2200 lbs, try 3000 lbs”
Why not? Assuming 260kWh/kg, 40kWh worth of cells(not the entire pack, just the cells) is about 340lbs. Based on a Tesla Model 3 complete pack at 150 Wh/kg you get approximately 600 lbs. A complete VW Type IV with the transmission is approximately 375 lbs based on information I have. Add 60 more lbs for gasoline and you get about 435 lbs. Add 70lbs for the electric motor to get the EV powertrain to 670 lbs. So 670 for the EV vs. 435 for ICE and the EV powertrain would be about 240 lbs heavier. Newer battery tech could narrow that further. Adding 240lbs to the weight of some of the 356 kit cars you get numbers in the ballpark range of the claims.
Let’s see the numbers you used to get at the 3,000 lb estimate.
mcs
I’ll play. Because I don’t believe they can build a car with the required modern safety equipment and structural integrity with a total curb weight less than a Miata. The weight of the original Beetle (death trap at any speed) is irrelevant. And since it will be heavier it will need a larger battery for a range greater than 200 miles, making it still heavier.
Chevy Bolt weighs 3500+ lbs and has a 66kWh battery with a ~235 mile range, so it doesn’t really add up.
But I don’t think it matters because i think this is another half baked un-funded computer generated wet dream that will never exist. Or, flip that prototype over and let’s have a look at the underside cuz I don’t think it’s real.
@Imagefont: I tend to agree. A 40 kWh Leaf weighs 3500 lbs.
Granted, this vehicle is giving up rear seats and is going aluminum, but I’d be surprised if that cuts 35% out of the curb weight, while still meeting safety requirements.
Their claim for the range makes sense if the car really is that light, but I have doubts they have achieved this with a production-worthy product.
Maybe it’s really, really small inside. The last time I sat inside a 356 was never, but getting a tiny 356 to meet any safety standards seems like an impossibly difficult mission.
The 40kWh was mostly steel and had 135Wh/kg gravimetric density batteries. The batteries were about twice the weight of the Model 3. Even Sodium-Ion cells are lighter. The WEVC is extremely barebones and doesn’t seem to even have a real interior. It also seems to have a single lightweight seat. The photos of the windows show sliding doors meaning there is probably no window mechanism. Fiberglass and steel 356 replicas run 1800 lbs. so aluminum should cut the weight down enough. A good comparison is a BMW i3 with is 2,800 (to 2965 – they list both weights) with a 40kWh battery. The i3 has a full interior and seating for 4 with power windows, regular seats, 4 doors, and a hatch. The i3 is about 600 to 765 lbs more than the 356 replica. It seems to make sense.
A 356 body shell is extremely light. The finished cars with gas engines are under 2000 lbs. I’d believe that you could make one with a modern battery not too far off from 2200 lbs.
Their announcement strategy is similar to the other EV startups:
Entice investors to provide the money with some product vaporware.
But if investors have wised up, it would be difficult, for the reasons stated above to meet the capital requirements.
Just like the 7 slot grill of Jeep is defended as their design, I think that the shape of the Porsche 356 is intellectual property.
There are plenty of 356, Speedster, and 904 replicas out there. If there are still rights in effect for the 60+-year-old design, there apparently is a mechanism to make it legal.
Pay the copyright holder?
It’s not a copyright. It’s a design patent.
No idea how long they last in Americaland, but in Canada they’re only 15 years before you have free reign to make copies.
Patents typically last a much shorter duration that copyrights.
It’s okay, but check out *this* vaporware:
alphamotorinc.com/wolf
Cute but not at that price. A Long Range Tesla Model S is a stretch for me. Having it come from the other side of the pond is a major handicap.
“WEVC has created their own platform, made of bonded aluminum”
Bonded aluminum? Not a [real] engineer but does this actually work in real life?
Yes, it’s a thing:
https://www.masterbond.com/applications/bonding-aluminum-alloys
Thanks.
Too bad this will either not happen or be an ultra-low production vehicle at a price I will never be able to afford. Because I have always loved the lines of the 356 coupe.
Saw this and the Great Wall Ora Good Cat sprang to mind. Similar Porsche front. (Side looks more like a Leaf.) One fifth the price but the Watt undoubtedly is much more fun to drive
Saw this and the Great Wall Ora Good Cat sprang to mind. Similar Porsche front. (Side looks more like a Leaf.) One fifth the price but the Watt undoubtedly is much more fun to drive
Watt is the wrong name for EV company. They should call it Kilowatt at least, or Megawatt.
“What’s the name of your company?”
“That’s right.”
“What?”
“Yes!”
Watts?
The good folks at EV West sell a Karmann Ghia electric conversion kit for a mere $7,598. All you need is a decent Ghia shell and the labor costs and you’re still at less then half of what the Watt EV is priced at.
https://www.evwest.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=220
Really now? Now this is interesting stuff (not that I have a Karmann Ghia).
It was featured on one of the geeky car shows on MT formally Velocity where each week they convert a vintage car to an EV. They also have other kits, the one for the Porsche Boxster looks interesting.
My lot is full atm but these kits for 70s iron really appeal to me in the longer term. Prior to this the only solution for malaise era carbs or early FI was a swap or perhaps Megasquirt. Now you can just rip it all out for probably not much more cost.