Just as they announced last month, Detroit Electric revealed today their two-seat electric sports car, which is called the SP:01. Even though the carmaker does not mention it, the Detroit Electric SP:01 is obviously based on the facelifted Lotus Elise. After Tesla, Detroit Electric is the second car manufacturer to use the Elise as the base for a small electric sports car. Detroit Electric's SP:01 is powered by an electric motor that's good for 201 bhp and 166 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to a weigh of just 2,354 lb. (1,067 kg), the SP:01 is able to accelerate from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.7 seconds and it can reach a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h). Even though the SP:01 looks a lot like the Elise, it has a completely new made, which is made from carbon fiber.
The electric motor of the SP:01 is juiced by a 37 kWh battery that offers a maximum range of 190 miles (just over 300 km). The battery can be fully recharged in 4.3 hours.
The Detroit Electric SP:01 comes with a specially developed 4-speed gearbox that doesn't require the driver to change gears as often as required by a conventional transmission. The SP:01 also comes with performance brakes, a sports suspension and steering.
Detroit Electric equips the SP:01 with the SAMI (Smartphone Application Managed Infotainment) system, which is a music player, and a satellite navigation system. It also controls the interior lighting adjust and offers information about various vehicle systems. SAMI can also be controlled remotely via GSM.
The Detroit Electric SP:01 is priced from $135,000 USD and it's going to be built in just 999. The full details and specifications of the SP:01 are available here.
