Detroit Electric first EV in over 70 years

More than a century, Detroit area known as the center of the American automotive industry. And now we are witnessing the rise of the automotive industry through the company's Detroit Electric are back in the business of electric vehicles manufacturing after a seven decades absence.

Detroit Electric’s teaser image shows more than a few Corvette styling cues. (Picture from: http://www.detroit-electric.com/)

Detroit Electric is currently active in conducting business development, as reported by MSN Auto that the new Detroit Electric was founded in the Netherlands in 2008 by former Lotus executive Albert Lam, along with a group of Dutch investors.

The company built a prototype vehicle based on a Lotus Elise, and by June 2009 it planned to license its electric powertrains through a joint-venture agreement with China's state-run Dongfeng Motor Corp. and build cars through a U.S $331 million annual contract with Malaysian-based Proton, which owns Lotus.

Detroit Electric has established its headquarters on the 18th floor of the Fisher Building in downtown Detroit. It has also production facility and should begin August 2013 with an anticipated total capacity 2,500 cars annually.  It plans to create 180 sales and manufacturing jobs over the next year and will use an "asset light" business model, focusing its resources on R&D and marketing. Taking a page from Tesla, the American EV startup appears to be using a modified Lotus, specifically the late-model Exige sold in Europe, as its base.

Detroit Electric plans to launch two "high-performance models" and will go on sale in late 2014, the company said in a statement. The sports car will be revealed for the first time April 3, 2013 in Detroit. The unnamed car will debut at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 20, 2013 in coordination with a "major partnership with a global automaker."

As is known in 2008 when partnering with Malaysian automaker Proton (the parent company of Lotus), Detroit Electric is attempting to revive itself by electrifying cars like this Lotus Elise and some Proton sedans and hatchbacks.

2008 Detroit Electric's battery-powered Lotus Elise. (Picture from: http://jalopnik.com/)

The Detroit Electric Elise sports a 200 HP electric motor and a range of 200 miles (321.87 km) from a 6.5 hour charge; in other words, the Tesla Roadster, which is also based on the Elise, had better watch its back. The company is quite ambitious, with talk already of distribution strategy and a possible quick-charge infrastructure around Malaysia. And certainly that Detroit Electric plans to produce more high-performance all-electric vehicles in the coming years. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DETROIT ELECTRIC | JALOPNIK | THE NEW YORK TIMES | GIZMAG | MSN AUTO]

Detroit Electric SP:01

The Detroit Electric SP:01 looks just like a Lotus Elise, albeit with a unique front fascia that includes an electric-blue symbol and larger air intakes, and a different rear with four individual round taillights. The battery pack is exposed beneath a class panel in the rear. A smartphone app, called Smartphone Application Management Interface, controls the infotainment system and allows the driver to check the vehicle’s status remotely. A feature called 360 Powerback also lets the car’s battery pack power a residential house during a power outage, by routing current back through the home charger.

The Detroit Electric SP:01 is based on the Lotus Elise and scheduled to go on sale by this August, and will cost at least U.S. $135,000. (Picture from: http://wot.motortrend.com/)

Front three quarter of Detroit Electric SP:01. (Picture from: http://wot.motortrend.com/)

The SP:01 uses aluminum construction and carbon-fiber bodywork, keeping weight down to 2,354 pounds (1.07 ton). A 37-kWh battery pack powers a mid-mounted electric motor with 201 hp and 166 lb-ft of torque. Whereas many electric cars have single-speed transmissions, the Detroit Electric SP:01 has four driver-selectable gear ratios. The company claims a 0 to 100 kph (62-mph) in time of 3.7 seconds, a top speed of 249.45 kph (155 mph), and a driving range of 305.78 km (190 miles). Using a dedicated high-speed charger will reportedly top off the battery in just over four hours. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTOR TREND]

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Updated: May 1, 2013.