Roaring Innovation

The electric car manufacturing industry is experiencing its moment of renaissance. With ultra-modern, sophisticated batteries and increasing government support, electric automakers have better incentives than ever before to design, develop and manufacture state-of-the-art automobiles for 21st century requirements.

Worldwide, 6.6 million plug-in electric cars were sold in 2021, more than double the 2020 sales numbers. All-electric cars represented 71% of plug-in car sales in 2021. As of December 2021, 16 million plug-in electric cars were on the roads globally. These eye-popping numbers are drawing an increasing number of iconic brands to get into the segment. DeLorean Alpha5 is the latest addition to the group.

DELOREAN MOTOR COMPANY

The DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) was an American automobile manufacturer founded by General Motors executive John DeLorean in 1975. The automaker describes itself as a new energy mobility brand that focuses on developing cars with a clear vision of the future. It is remembered for one of the most iconic, futuristic cars of its time—the stainless steel DeLorean sports car featuring gull-wing doors. But the lack of consumer demand, cost overruns, and  unfavorable exchange rates began denting DMC’s cash flow position in the latter half of 1981.  This eventually culminated with the company having to wind up manufacturing and file for bankruptcy in 1982. In 1995, Liverpool-born mechanic Stephen Wynne founded the current DeLorean Motor Company in Texas, and thereafter acquired the remaining parts inventory going on to launch a stylized DMC logo trademark of DeLorean Motor Company.

ALPHA E5 

The brand now seems poised for a spectacular comeback. DeLorean released details of its upcoming launch with hopes of resurrecting the long-defunct brand. The latest DeLorean Alpha E5 shares an intimate component with its predecessors that has become quintessentially associated with the DeLorean brand: the gull-winged, two-door frame. The new car also comes with a curvier, sleekier upgrade to the exterior silhouette. Says designer Daria Lauriola: “The renowned design heritage has been a perfect inspiration for inputs.” It was designed in collaboration with Italdesign, the same Volkswagen-owned design team that helped in developing the look of the DMC-12 in 1981. “Our goal was to bridge the gap between the past and the future, so we produced extensions of the DMC-12 that would have been icons in their time to create the next generation of vehicles, starting with the Alpha5,” said Joost de Vries, chief executive officer of DeLorean Motors Reimagined in a press release. It also comes with an elegant full-width light strip on the back, and an illuminated DeLorean logo.

The Port San Antonio-based automaker claims that the car will have a pick-up speed of  0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 2.99 seconds, 0 to 88 mph (0 to 142 km/h) in an estimated 4.35 seconds and have a projected top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h). The Alpha 5 would come with a 100kWh battery, offering an estimated 300 miles of range. Joost de Vries says he expects the Alpha5 to have a performance range that will be in the ballpark of the Mercedes-AMG GT and maybe the higher-end Porsche Taycans.

There hasn’t been much clarity on the pricing tiers but estimates suggest that it might cost approximately $125,000. According to the company, the first batch of production will introduce 9,531 units into the market, with manufacturing expected to begin in 2024.