- Caterham, a British low-volume automaker, is bringing a two-door electric sports car to the United States.
- The production version of the Project V show car is scheduled to go on sale in the United States next year.
- The electric car will have a Tesla-style NACS charging port and an unusual battery setup.
the Next generation Tesla Roadster It’s been stuck in limbo since it hit the headlines in 2017, leaving people who want a small, light electric sports car with little to no options.
However, this may change soon, as a little-known low-volume car manufacturer from the UK is preparing to launch its first battery-powered SUV. That automaker is Caterham, known for its inspired homage to the gas-powered Lotus Seven, and the electric vehicle in question is known as Project V.
The show car was first in line It will be unveiled in 2023but it landed in the United States for the first time this week in Consumer Electronics Show 2026 In Las Vegas, the boutique manufacturer wasn’t mincing words about securing a foothold here.
“We’ve been ignoring America as a market for 50 years, which is ironic, because you’re all busy,” said Justin Gardiner, Caterham Cars’ overseas representative. Car and driver. “We’ll be taking America seriously starting this week. We’re looking forward to selling a lot of them here.”
The production version of Project V is scheduled to go on sale next year as a simple and exciting sports car. The specs are good, but not amazing, and that’s on purpose. There’s a single 268 hp (200 kW), 400-volt electric motor at the rear, a 55 kWh battery split into two sections, and the bare minimum when it comes to electronic driving aids. Since it’s a new vehicle, you’ll need ABS, traction control, and airbags, but that’s about it.
Inside, there’s a small touchscreen on the center console for things like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a rearview camera display, but the dashboard itself is a basic flat surface, and the instrument cluster is analogue.
Caterham wants to use as many off-the-shelf parts as possible to reduce costs and make the construction process easier. The e-motor with built-in inverter comes from Yamaha Motor, the split battery pack is sourced from Xing Mobility, and Prototype It had the same door opening as the Audi TT, while the seats were identical to those used before Maserati.
The battery allows an estimated WLTP range of 249 miles on a full charge, while maximum charging power is 100 kilowatts. None of these specifications are groundbreaking, but Caterham doesn’t really care.
“We don’t really care about shipping time,” Gardiner said. Car and driver. “We care about the battery discharge time. If someone drains those batteries too quickly, a lot of EVs will go into idle mode because they overheat. We know our customers will do that. We know they do that. So we have to make the battery packs work.”
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The battery itself is split into two individual packs that can each hold just over 27 kWh. One is installed in front of the passenger compartment and the other in the back. As a result, the seating position is very low, as in combustion sports cars.
Initially, the price of the production version of Caterham Project V was supposed to start at $107,000. But now, with everything going on in the world, that’s no longer possible, so the new estimate is about $135,000.
That’s a lot of money for a second car for weekend getaways, but Caterham believes it’s just the right price, especially considering Porsche is preparing to launch electric versions of the car for the first time. Cayman and Boxsterwhich will be the main competitors of the fifth project.
“I don’t think $130,000 is outrageous in any way,” Gardiner said. “I don’t think we’re the only ones, but a lot of people are sitting around waiting Porsche To finally pull the trigger on the EV Boxster and Cayman. Whatever the cost of Porsche’s electric cars, a Caterham rep is confident that Project V will be more fun to drive.
