Peugeot EX1 previews sporty electric car

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Peugeot EX1 previews sporty electric car

The EX1's “floating” front grille and flowing body contours incorporate Peugeot's new design codes.

Bruce Gain

Automotive News Europe -- October 21, 2010 06:01 CET

PARIS -- The EX1 prototype serves as a concept for future electric cars, Peugeot says.

The two-seat EX1 roadster is on display at Peugeot's showroom on the Champs-Elysees in Paris until Nov. 14.

“The EX1 shows that we can do many things with electric cars,” a Peugeot spokesman said. “It shows how far we can go.”

Peugeot has no plans to produce an electric sports car “for the time being.” However, the spokesman said Peugeot could still one day make a production EV sports car.

The EX1 runs on a high-output lithium-ion battery pack that Peugeot said enables the car to offer record-breaking performance.

The prototype has a top speed of 260kph (about 162 mph) and can accelerate from zero to 100 kph in less than 3.58 seconds. The car is thus in the same speed category as Porsche's 918 Spyder hybrid concept, the Peugeot spokesman said.

Porsche says its 918 Spyder can accelerate from a 0 to 100 kph in just under 3.2 seconds and has a faster top speed of 320kph.

The EX1 has four-wheel drive with a separate electric motor on the front and back axle like the company's upcoming Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4, which will be the world's first diesel-electric hybrid upon launch next year.

Each EX1 motor has a peak output of 125 kW, for a total horsepower of 340.

The body is composed of a carbon composite material intended to optimize both weight and rigidity for speed performance.

The concept's body incorporates Peugeot's new stylistic design codes, first seen on the SR1 concept car that debuted earlier this year, with a “floating” front grille and flowing body contours.

The doors' aluminum detailing is similar to the recently launched Peugeot RCZ coupe and BB1 electric urban concept vehicle.

The EX1 was designed to offer a lower center of gravity with a 900mm (35.4 inches) height, while its width is 1770mm.

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