Yamaha and Caterham have finally joined hands for the upcoming Project V which is all about developing a fully electric sports coupe and this news was confirmed by the British manufacturer Caterham. The Japanese car maker, Yamaha will supply Caterham with its latest e-axel that will act as an important part of the electric powertrain. It will also provide expertise in vehicle motion control as well as other electric powertrain technologies. The aim here is to maintain Caterham’s lightweight simple and fun to drive vehicles while giving the benefits of Advanced electric technology which makes the vehicles versatile.
According to reports, the prototype is already in progress by Tokyo R&D, who have a great history of developing major OEM prototypes and production vehicles. The prototype is supposed to be completed around the mid of 2025. Followed by which the production should hit somewhere in 2026. Let us tell you that the Project V concept was unveiled back in 2023, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed held in the UK. Then again in 2024 January it was showcased in Tokyo Auto Salon. The next step will be bringing it to the market. However, Caterham did not reveal the exact launch date for the Project V. But let’s take a look at some of the images.
Project V specifications
Project V will be powered by a 55 kWh lithium-ion battery and will have an electric motor of 200 kW that is mounted on the rear axle. Talking about the performance, it can go from 0 to 100 kmph in just under 5 seconds and has a top speed of 230 km per hour with an estimated range of 400 km as certified by WLTP. The weight of the car is around 1190 kg, which is quite less when compared to other electric vehicles in the market. The project has a three seat arrangement for two people in the front and one small seat in the rear. The project V is a development project for an electric sports coupe that inherits the DNA of Caterham.
This project will be based on the platform of the Caterham 7, but will also have some significant enhancements. To reduce the weight as much as possible carbon fibre and composite have been used both for the body as well as chassis. Meanwhile, Yamaha aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 under scope 3 emissions. The whole project will be overseen by Japanese based brand owner VT holdings. Bob Laishely, CEO of Caterham Cars said,
“Any future EV model we produce must be true to the DNA of a Caterham: lightweight, fun-to-drive and driver- focused. The main objective for this project is to develop a vehicle with a weight delta of no more than the equivalent of having a passenger on board.”