Ev JR Discontinued

The fluctuating demand and market uncertainty with EV cars in general has made us rethink our direction with the electric version of the spider. Roadster will continue on a special-order basis to support the platform. But the extreme cost of development and moving target on the technology front makes a budget version impractical at best.

Feedback on electrified classic cars has been mixed. While the performance can not be ignored, the lack of sensory/tactile interaction that a manual transmission and combustion engine provides seems misplaced in an EV convertible.

There are also many design challenges with converting an existing classic chassis to an EV. When dealing with a clean sheet of paper, the batteries can be located skateboard style along the bottom of the car. This enhances handling and weight balance. Unfortunately, this is not possible in an adapted design, which requires the batteries to be installed as modular components. Since the spider only has room to accommodate the batteries in the rear of the car, this dramatically affects weight balance and handling.

The additional weight is significant, as the removal of the combustion engine and fuel tank does not offset the weight of the battery system. Consequently, driving an electrified spider requires a deft touch and adjustment to the rear weight bias from housing the batteries in the trunk and rear seat area. Braking distances are lengthened due to the added overall weight of the car.

Our prototypes have also been disappointing due to the lack of range. The minimal storage area in a Spider means that the battery displacement is insufficient for distance driving. With the current level of battery technology, range beyond 125 miles seems out of reach. All said, more time is needed to develop a budget EV model. Currently there is simply no economical way to adapt this technology for a competitive price considering supply chains and space limitations with the Spider. At some point this will be revisited in the future based on demand inquires.