Apex AP-0 is £150,000, Brit-built, electric sports car
AP-0 is a zero-emissions sports car, not a hypercar - a distinction its makers are keen to emphasise
Model is due to go into production in 2022 at a Woking facility
The Apex AP-O is an electric supercar to be engineered and built in Britain and designed by Brit Guy Colborne, known for the Elemental RP1.
The AP-O is described as race-inspired and road legal, and while the model revealed today is a concept, the car is set to make production in late 2022 with prices starting from £150,000.
The zero-emissions model is the latest in a list of electric supercars being revealed worldwide from a variety of start-ups and established players, all of which hope to create driving appeal in the traditionally more sedate EV market. These include the Pininfarina Battista, Rimac C_Two, Dendrobium D-1 and Lotus Evija.
However, the ethos behind the car is more in line with the RP1 or KTM X-Bow but intends to offer more on-road comfort than either of those models given it is not open-top.
Apex claimed the AP-O is capable of a 0-62mph sprint of 2.3secs from its lithium-ion battery powertrain, which delivers peak power of 650bhp and torque of 428lb ft. Top speed is 190mph. This rapid benchmark sprint is slower than those claimed by the Battista and C_Two, which promise “under two seconds” and 1.9secs respectively, but faster than the RP1 or X-Bow.
Apex said the car is not intended to be a hypercar. “This is reflected in price, power output and vehicle weight. Instead, this is a sports car that was designed to be light, fast and a statement of intent for Apex to create the world’s finest zero-emissions sports cars which are usable and comfortable on road, but transform into a pure driver’s car on a race track,” said the firm.
The supercar will have a WLTP range of 320 miles and, via a 350kW CCS connector, can be charged up to 80% in under 15 minutes, said Apex.
Apex claimed the AP-0 weighs 1200kg - significantly lower than the majority of electric sports cars - thanks to the use of a pure carbonfibre tub at its core. The structure uses modular spaceframes and a centre spine that links the front and the rear. The bodyshell is wrapped around the tub and spine but still exposes the carbon fibre chassis. Batteries are floor mounted at both front and rear in a bid to achieve the lowest possible centre of gravity.
It uses a push rod suspension system, the same as most Formula 1 teams, and has automatic ride height adjustment, using adjustable coil over shock springs and dampers.
Highlights of the dramatic design include the fin (which gives the LiDAR sensor technology the height needed for the radars to work effectively) and the rear cross-shaped lights which feed into the fin.
Designer Guy Colborne said the production version would remain largely unchanged from the concept. “We’re going to work on ingress and egress, by pushing the tub down a bit for starters. And then practicality aspects, for example, whether we can package in a frunk for luggage.”
Inside, there are bucket seats and a race-derived feet-up driving position. The LiDAR generates detailed maps of the vehicle surroundings, creating a three-dimensional image. Apex said the technology enhances its driver assistance systems by more accurately identifying potential hazards, pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles.
It also has a holographic augmented reality display and augmented reality race instructor, to help drivers learn new race tracks.
The AP-O is capable of Level 3 autonomy, which includes automatic emergency braking and lane keep assist, but the maker said the system was advanced enough for Level 4 (self-driving in all but the trickiest scenarios) when it becomes “safely achievable”.
Apex is headed up by two Hong Kong-based brothers Jason and Gary Leung but the firm will operate its engineering, design and manufacturing from a not-yet-built site near Woking. The facility, once up and running, will be able to produce 500 AP-0s a year.
Apex previously launched the 620kg, 400bhp AP-1, of which more than 10 have been sold so far. The Leung brothers said the AP-1 also continues as a test mule for improving carbonfibre technology for the AP-0 production car.
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