Morgan XP-1: 1,500-Pound Electric Concept

Weight of 1500 lbs, 150 Mile Range on One Charge

British sports car manufacturer Morgan Motor Cars has unveiled a new development project that will act as a precursor to “all future Morgan sports cars”. Dubbed XP-1, the experimental prototype is not intended for production in its current form – much like the EV3, Morgan’s first electric concept. Although the number might suggest otherwise, the XP-1 is an entirely new project. All in all, it’s an exciting time for Morgan fans as the company looks to the future.

It’s a dynamic inducement intended to inflame the creativity of all the teams: from handling characteristics, powertrain development, to experimenting with new concepts. The business has spent the last twelve months constructing and designing this, and now they are about to begin trials for the upcoming 1-2 years.

Morgan is including us in the journey, and we strongly concur with this decision.

Meet XP-1, Morgan's Electric Experimental Prototype

The XP-1 project is not merely a recreational pastime for Morgan but a thing with which they intend to keep their consumers and fans up to date about every advance. This methodology allows them to immediately contemplate the opinions of their customers and aficionados, expediting development by eliminating the need for in-depth research. Usage of social media is tough-going, and followers of brands such as Morgan undoubtedly won’t be sympathetic to any half-hearted attempts at growth.

The Chief Technical Officer of Morgan Motors, Matt Hole, has made a statement about the company’s plans to develop electric vehicles: “We are positive that we can maintain the same core appeal in our upcoming electric Morgan sports cars that we have in our current range. This means they will be enjoyable to drive, lightweight, handcrafted, and customizable. We are determined to make sure that these qualities will be available to our customers in the future.”

Those are quite grand assurances, however they do not seem to be baseless.

Matt Hole has been in the electrification industry for over 15 years, and has collaborated with various Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). Under his direction, the business has created what it calls a “full vehicle toolchain” – a collection of hardware and software elements that can be used to estimate and examine what will be most beneficial in any given situation.

When it comes to automobiles, the aerodynamic elements are no exception. Compared to the Super 3 version from which the XP-1 stemmed, this state-of-the-art car has yet to be tested but is already 33% more aerodynamic. Lasting only a year in the making, the progress is quite remarkable.

Autocar reported that Hole stated the XP-1 has a 33kWh battery, granting it a range of 150 miles. Performance was described as “brisk,” considering the car’s lightweight nature; it weighs only 1,543 lbs (or under 700 kilograms), a difference that is even less than that between the BMW M2 and M4.

Regarding the expected date for a commercially available form, nothing has been assured just yet; however, having gone through two years of trials, capabilities are unlikely before 2027 providing that purchasers interest in electric vehicles is adequate enough to justify ongoing engineering or potential manufacturing.

In tandem, Morgan is collaborating with Pininfarina to design a custom vehicle. Caterham, too, is checkmating this electropowered industry space; however, their electric concept abandons traditional aesthetics, primarily in its structural design – the V Project even incorporates a roof.

It will be intriguing to observe which organization ultimately achieves more prosperity – will it be the entity that continued with its long-standing design habits or the one that reconfigured itself to establish a new alcove?