Morgan EV3, anniversary special 4/4 to star in Geneva
British sports car firm will look both forwards and backward with its Geneva show reveals
Morgan has announced it will show a ‘production intent’ version of the EV3 in Geneva, giving us our best look yet at the firm’s electric 3 Wheeler.
The EV3 will join a special edition version of the long-running 4/4 on the firm’s Geneva show stand.
Called the 4/4 80th, it celebrates a full 80 years of the 4/4 model, a feat Morgan says makes it the longest running production car in the world.
The juxtaposition couldn’t be greater, particularly with Morgan’s recently-announced intentions to begin building a range of hybrid and electric vehicles, following £6 million in funding from the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre.
First revealed at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Morgan EV3 will be the first of these advanced-powertrain models.
In prototype form, the EV3 swaps the regular 3 Wheeler’s one-litre S&S V-twin for a 75kW electric motor at the rear wheel – a figure equivalent to 100bhp, or 20bhp more than the standard car’s wheel horsepower output.
The styling of Morgan’s prototype differed little from the standard car – provided you could ignore the unusual moulding where once an engine sat. From the firm’s latest teaser image, it appears that Morgan has designed an entirely new face for the production-ready car, with spotlights mounted high in what used to be the car’s grille.
Managing Director at Morgan, Steve Morris, says the EV3 'is arguably the most exciting electric car in the world'.
Morgan will announce full details on the 4/4 80th at Geneva itself. The standard 4/4 uses a 1.6-litre Ford ‘Sigma’ inline-four, producing 110bhp and 97lb ft through a Mazda-sourced five-speed gearbox. Combined with light weight – 795kg dry – the 4/4 hits 62mph in eight seconds and 115mph flat out.
The 2016 Geneva motor show begins on March 1, and opens to the public on March 3. Head over to our hub page to discover more new cars making their debuts at the show.
