The X1 prototype weighs in at 680kg (around 180kg more than a standard Atom) and uses a three-phase AC induction motor and inverter powered by lithium-ion batteries (the same type used in laptops) to give 236bhp and 182lb ft of torque at the motor shaft. The boast is that the system allows you to drive up to 160 miles at 70mph on a single two-hour charge.

The cost of green speed is unlikely to be cheap, though. The rumoured price of the WrightSpeed roadster is about $100,000 (£53,000).