Caterham has unveiled the EV Seven, a fully electric version of their iconic Seven model. They have partnered with Swindon Powertrain Ltd, a developer of advanced and robust powertrains for both road and motorsport applications. The EV Seven is built on the larger Seven chassis and incorporates a specially designed version of Swindon Powertrain's E Axle, combined with an immersion-cooled battery pack.
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The immersion battery cooling system, utilizing a dielectric fluid provided by Caterham's long-term technical partner Motul, ensures efficient thermal management during charge and discharge cycles.
This concept car features a 51kWh immersion-cooled battery, housed in the engine bay and transmission tunnel.
Bob Laishley, CEO of Caterham, said: “Any future EV model we produce must be true to the DNA of a Caterham: lightweight, fun-to-drive and driver-focused. The main objective of this project is to develop a vehicle with a weight delta of no more than the equivalent of having a passenger on board. We’re never going to launch a one-tonne Seven – we’d rather not do it.”
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This concept car features a 51kWh immersion-cooled battery, housed in the engine bay and transmission tunnel. It supports DC rapid charging speeds of up to 152kW and has a usable capacity of around 40kWh, allowing the battery pack to endure demanding track use and rapid charging without premature degradation.
The EV Seven is equipped with a bespoke version of Swindon Powertrain's E Axle, which generates 240 bhp at 9,000rpm and instantaneous peak torque of 250 Nm. These specifications enable a predicted 0-60mph time of approximately 4.0 seconds. The powertrain has been carefully engineered to replicate the performance characteristics of the current production Seven, ensuring that the EV Seven delivers a similar driving experience.
While there are no immediate plans for production, Further details about this project will be revealed in the upcoming months
Remaining true to Caterham's values, the EV Seven prioritizes simplicity, lightness, and delivering an exhilarating driving experience. Rather than solely chasing performance figures, the focus has been on preserving the intrinsic essence of Caterham vehicles.
The EV Seven concept will make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. Additionally, Caterham is concurrently working on another fully electric sports car concept, led by their Chief Designer Anthony Jannarelly. While there are no immediate plans for production, Further details about this project will be revealed in the upcoming months.
