The Electric Seven

No immediate production plans, but the EV Seven is progressing fast and will debut at Goodwood in July

- JOHN BARKER

'WE DON'T HAVE A QUEUE OF PEOPLE wanting to buy an EV Seven.' It's a line I've heard a number of times from Bob Laishley, Caterham's CEO. However, since the company's announcement in late May that it was building an EV Seven to help development of the EV drivetrain for its soon-to-be-revealed, all-new sports car, interest in an electric Seven has spiked.

A battery-electric drivetrain and the lightweight Seven have been considered incompatible thus far, yet in its efforts to understand electrification, what is required and what is possible, Caterham has developed an EV Seven concept with long-time engine partner Swindon Powertrain. At the outset, Caterham was very conscious of staying as true to its guiding principles as possible: 'Lightweight, simple, fun to drive' is a Laishley mantra.

Arriving at Swindon Powertrain's factory, the sound of a four-cylinder engine being worked on a dyno drifts from the building that it has occupied for over 50 years. The company has a long history of internal combustion excellence: just last year its engine powered Tom Ingram's BTCC-winning Hyundai i30 N, and it supplied the 250bhp Vauxhall engine for the Caterham Seven JPE. Yet, perhaps surprisingly, Swindon Powertrain embraced electrification some years ago. The catalyst was when Swindon's MD, Raphaël Caillé, drove a Tesla Model S. He describes it as a revelation that made him realise that the company had to embrace electrification or become a mere fettler of museum pieces. It has now developed its own drivetrain components and battery technology and has been designing, manufacturing and producing electric vehicles and bicycles for getting on for five years.