The Morgan Motors Company is getting serious about producing an electric version of its endlessly iconic 3 Wheeler. Sure, it's a little strange to think of this particular model without a V-twin lashed to the front end, singing its bubbly baritone Ode to Joy, but the Malvern manufacturer seems quite convinced there is room for two very different flavors of its reborn baby. Though it's still under development, actor and electric-vehicle proponent Robert Llewellyn had the opportunity to drive the current prototype, with John Roberts of Potenza Sports Cars filling the passenger seat. On their little jaunt through the English countryside, his companionship was key.
Roberts' outfit, which generally sells kits and complete Lotus Seven and Eleven replicas under the Westfield Sportscars brand, and has the electric Westfield iRacer in its portfolio of past projects, are also very much involved in developing the electron-munching drivetrain for Morgan. His knowledge of the car is, then, rather complete and he fills Mr. Llewellyn (and us) on a few interesting details along the way. For instance, the EV 3 was originally intended to have twin motors, and while it presently only has one unit powering the rear wheel, a second is still being considered. From Roberts' history, we suspect the electric lumps in question may be axial flux designs, possibly from YASA Motors, which are relatively easy to conjoin.
Roberts also informs us that this prototype weighs in at 500 kg (1,102 pounds) – the 3 Wheeler has a dry weight of 525 kg (1,157 lbs) – so handling should be quite comparable to its noisy sibling. Range-wise, we're told that it's good for (a probably optimistic) 150 miles equipped with a 9-kWh battery that can be charged up in four hours, though he mentions that, using a more energy-dense cell, they could also use an 18-kWh pack that would take up the same amount of space. All tech specs aside, it certainly looks like a blast to drive, and is probably just as much fun as the original.
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Roberts' outfit, which generally sells kits and complete Lotus Seven and Eleven replicas under the Westfield Sportscars brand, and has the electric Westfield iRacer in its portfolio of past projects, are also very much involved in developing the electron-munching drivetrain for Morgan. His knowledge of the car is, then, rather complete and he fills Mr. Llewellyn (and us) on a few interesting details along the way. For instance, the EV 3 was originally intended to have twin motors, and while it presently only has one unit powering the rear wheel, a second is still being considered. From Roberts' history, we suspect the electric lumps in question may be axial flux designs, possibly from YASA Motors, which are relatively easy to conjoin.
Roberts also informs us that this prototype weighs in at 500 kg (1,102 pounds) – the 3 Wheeler has a dry weight of 525 kg (1,157 lbs) – so handling should be quite comparable to its noisy sibling. Range-wise, we're told that it's good for (a probably optimistic) 150 miles equipped with a 9-kWh battery that can be charged up in four hours, though he mentions that, using a more energy-dense cell, they could also use an 18-kWh pack that would take up the same amount of space. All tech specs aside, it certainly looks like a blast to drive, and is probably just as much fun as the original.
Related video:
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