To turn the gasoline-powered DeLorean into an EV, the company worked with Epic EV and Flux Power, Inc. (ironically, Flux Power did not name itself for the famed "flux capacitor" that powered the time machine in Back to the Future). Flux, which previously provided the battery pack for the well-known WheeGo electric car, created a 720-lb battery pack for the DeLorean, using 52 large format lithium iron-phosphate cells. The 32kWh battery pack does not have its own active cooling system, but does employ a battery management system to monitor every cell in the pack.
"We believe that if you manage each individual cell, you'll understand more about what the system is doing," said Anthony of Epic EV. "By connecting all of our cells to the management system, we know the internal impedance, voltage and heat of every cell, and we can make decisions based on those parameters."
To boost the new car's performance and its fuel efficiency, DeLorean Motors re-engineered the original vehicle underbody, thus cutting its weight from 450lbs to 250lbs. The old body, a combination of fiberglass and steel that was designed by Lotus Engineering 30 years ago, has been replaced by modern composites. The lighter body and a 220kWh DC motor combine to make the new DeLorean accelerate faster than the original.
Anthony contends that the DeLorean EV compares favorably to the Nissan Leaf in some key respects. "The Leaf weighs about 4,300 lbs, while this vehicle comes in at sub-3,000," he told us. "The DeLorean also uses a 32kWh battery, compared to the 24kWh battery in the Leaf."
The DeLorean's "battery bay" houses the vehicle's electric motor and half of its battery pack. (Photo courtesy of DeLorean Motor Co.)
Still, the DeLorean costs three times as much as the Leaf and, because it's a conversion, incorporates few of the safety features of today's vehicles.
Its real appeal, however, remains its futuristic look, Anthony said. "Whenever I drove it, people would ask, 'Is that a DeLorean? Could you open the doors for us?' "
Espey acknowledges that vehicle's mass appeal still stems from the trilogy of Back to the Future movies. Without those, he said, media coverage would have been only a fraction of what it was after the company rolled out the prototype DeLorean EV on October 14.
"I guarantee, somewhere in the world right now, one of those three movies is on television," Espey said. "Someone will watch the movie, get curious about the car, and look it up on the Internet. And when they do, they'll find our company."
Related reading
For a look at GM's Chevy Volt, go to the Drive for Innovation site and follow the cross-country journey of EE Life editorial director, Brian Fuller. In the trip sponsored by Avnet Express, Fuller is taking the fire-engine-red Volt to innovation hubs across America, interviewing engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and students as he blogs his way across the country.
I suppose you are right. It appears the De Lorean, as well as the Tesla vehicles, are for the better part assembled by hand. Even so, you have to set the price of that labor. Depends on where it is and the desire to make money. I hope prices on both drop in the future.
Like an 88 miles/hr secure of super from the last, DeLorean Powerplant Company has guaranteed the Electrical DeLorean for 2013. And it'll be wearing a blend shape produced by Impressive Electrical Automobiles. delorean rolls is known from the good product. just thinking about the tsb for this.
I should have stated that if the chassis /unibody already has a VIN attached. The VIN does, after all, define the mfg/model year, does it not?
I have seen such in regards to one particular make of car (limited edition, yes, but I believe it still applies) where someone ended up with a complete chassis and some body parts for a Shelby Cobra. The car was never assembled by Shelby. The chassis had a VIN (which was used for verification that it was indeed a Shelby Cobra). The car was assembled using a modern power train, but it was considered a 1960's automobile, as least as far as the state of Nevada was concerned.
What does FMVSS standards say about that? Does it still apply? Does it apply to my FIL's '57 Chevy BelAir that was built up from a salvaged chassis? What standards apply? I have to admit to some confusion in regards to this. If the DeLorean parts are assembled into completed automobiles, what model year are they? Are they 2012 models even if the parts all date back to the 1980's? If it uses the modern EV power train while all the rest of the vehicle is original 1980's parts, which standards apply?
If the chassis/unibody being used to build these cars was manufactured in the past, then the safety regulations for the year of manufacture of the chassis/unibody applies. That means if DeLorean uses a chassis and/or unibody manufactured in 1985 to build a 'new' EV, the safety regulations from 1985 apply, not the year the autombile was finally assembled.
Tesla Motors plans to roll out a “compelling, affordable electric car” that will sell for about half the price of its high-profile Model S by the end of 2016, company chairman Elon Musk said last week.
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