Alcraft Turns to Crowd-Funding for High-Output EV

LONDON – Startup Alcraft Motor is looking to join the ranks of electric-vehicle producers, promising to begin production on its first model in 2019 with money it hopes to secure through crowd-funding.

The Alcraft GT is promised to be a practical sports car boasting a 2+2 shooting-brake body style with 17.7 cu.-ft. (500 L) of luggage space and a 300-mile (483-km) range between charges.

It will use a 3-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain and projected performance figures suggest 840 lb.-ft. (1,139 Nm) of torque and 600 hp, delivering an estimated 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 3.5 seconds.

The batteries are in a T-shaped pack between and behind the front seats. Exposed carbon-fiber B-pillars and roof structure serve as both a safety cell and a device to create a lightweight cabin despite a roof made largely of glass and a windshield that wraps around the car.

The driving force behind the venture is David Alcraft who has assembled a core team including Charles Morgan, previously of Morgan Motor, the former Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders CEO Christopher Macgowan, ex- Morgan designer Matt Humphries and Mark Carbery formerly of Toyota, Daewoo and Michelin.

The engineering partner is Silverstone-based Delta Motorsport, whose expertise in electric drivetrains and battery systems sees it working both with global car manufacturers and at the highest levels of motor sport.

Other partners include specialist British companies Sevcon and KS Composites, and agreements are in place with major Tier 1 suppliers, including Continental for safety systems and Michelin for tires.

“We want to build a British car company which brings together traditional skills and high technology for the emerging low carbon car market,” founder and Managing Director David Alcraft.

“We’re about combining great design, outstanding dynamics and the visceral thrill of electric powertrains to create products that are high in performance and desirability but very usable. We hope this will establish a niche for Alcraft Motor in Britain’s renowned specialist low-volume car industry.”

At the moment the car resides in the world of virtual reality engineering, as the renderings show, and the company is now seeking crowd-funding to build a full running prototype.