BUYING an EV doesn’t necessarily mean you’re picking up something dull and uninteresting.
Indeed, there’s a large selection of electric motors that put the fun factor into driving – from the cool-looking MG Cyberster to the recently released Alpine A290 hot hatchback.
As many petrolheads will already know, the upcoming ZEV mandate in the UK has manufacturers scrambling to do away with their petrol engines and release solely EVs in the coming years.
This has been great news for large, heavy vehicles – such as SUVs – but many car fans have bemoaned the lack of all-electric, lightweight sports cars.
But fear not, because a host of models have already been sounded out – with the following being some of the most eagerly anticipated to be released in the coming years.
Alpine A110 EV & Alpine A310
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The world’s most exciting lightweight sports car is going electric, with the widely celebrated Alpine A110 set to be released as an EV with a single, 239bhp motor – boasting a range of 261 miles, according to Renault.
Granted, it will be 258kg heavier than the current A110, but it will no doubt retain much of what makes the A110 so revered; agile, responsive, nimble, and engaging.
Drivers also have the A310 to look forward to – an EV GT that borrows the name and ethos of the original 1970s model.
The French brand, best known for its Formula 1 team, is looking to expand its line-up to seven vehicles – with the A310 among them.
Due in 2027, it will offer a little more practicality than the A110, including 2+2 seating.
Caterham Project V
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Little-known racing car maker Caterham stunned attendees at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2023 when it unveiled its bizarre, three-seater Project V sports car.
The EV, boasting 249 miles of range and a reportedly price tag of less than £80,000, has been pencilled in for a 2026 release, although just 2,000 models a year will be produced.
Lotus Type 135
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Lotus has been lining up the spiritual successor to the iconic Elise for some time – but last year admitted it needed technology to catch up with its bold plans.
The iconic lightweight two-seater, which was first produced in 1996 and ran all the way through to 2021, is adored by petrolheads for driving like a pocket-sized supercar.
Codenamed Type 135, the model will have a similar ethos – but it seems Lotus believes the current battery technology used for EVs hasn’t advanced enough for them to feasibly create it just yet.
To put it plainly, the Norfolk-based car maker is essentially waiting for a time when smaller, lighter EV batteries become available.
Still, late last year they showed off their Theory 1 concept, an aggressive-looking supercar being held up as a “blueprint” for what their future EV sports car could look like.
Volkswagen Scirocco
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VW’s very cool-looking, compact coupé, which was revived in 2008 and discontinued in 2017, is due a comeback as an EV.
That’s according to reports last year that suggested the famed model – a cult favourite with petrolheads – would sit above a future electric Golf in the brand’s line-up from around 2028.
Little else is known about VW’s plans for the model, although it’s been suggested it will be based on the Porsche Boxster with some retro 1970s styling thrown in.
Porsche Boxster
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Speaking of the aforementioned 718 Boxster, the long-promised electric iteration of the widely adored model has faced delays and setbacks in recent times – with its release date uncertain.
Porsche, one of the forebearers of electric power in the mainstream car industry thanks to the release of the Taycan in 2019, as well as its success in the Formula E series, has started to struggle with its battery technology.
According to reports, the German giant is struggling to balance the performance expected from its sports cars with the requirements of an EV.
What’s more, it is also said to be reassessing its ambitions around electrification – due to slower-than-expected global EV sales.
That’s already affected the development of other models, including the electric Cayenne.
Other issues include maintaining the driving dynamics of the petrol-powered Boxster while transitioning to an all-electric platform – like Lotus, the increased weight from the electric motors.
As a consequence of these delays, the current petrol-powered Boxster and Cayman models may remain in production beyond their initially planned discontinuation in 2025.
However, the electric Boxster is still very much in the works.
