Electrum Spyder | Electric and Elusive
Contributing Monkie Winston Gieseke
The Electrum Spyder sounds too good be true. And, it turns out, it is. For the second year in a row.
First unveiled at last year’s AltCar Expo in Santa Monica, this super ambitious 100% electric sports car was slated to be sold via the company’s website after its premiere at the expo. A year later, the car reappeared at the same event but not on the road.
While this year’s model hasn’t changed much, the company that makes it (Universal Electric Vehicle) has. In fact, according to Autoblog Green, they’re now closer than ever to making the car a reality.
So, what can you expect from this much anticipated vehicle? For starters, a $70,000 price tag and the ability to go from from 0 to 60 in under seven. Not bad. But truth be told, the Spyder had me at the nickel metal Hydride batteries and 300 vdc system, which provide a range of 150 miles at a top speed of 100 mph on a single charge (with a possible upgrade to lithium ion for up to 250 miles).
And the fact that it’s nicely packaged in a sleek two-seater with a removable hardtop.
Safety features (important for any sports car) include large front and rear crunch zone, automatic power shut off in the case of emergency and redundant interlocks that keep the car from powering up unless you’re in the driver’s seat (if you’re the sort who frequently leaves your headlights on, this could come in handy).
The website says UEV is committed to “taking a step towards a cleaner tomorrow”. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait until next year’s AltCar Expo for this to happen.
