Production of the Tesla Roadster may have ended but the pure-electric roadster model from Silicon Valley showed the way to other companies – and we mean that in the literal sense, as the PG Elektrus is an all too similar proposal.
Created by German manufacturer PG and Düsseldorf-based automobile designer Michael Fröhlich, the roadster model is once again based on the Lotus Elise and features an electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery.
However, the Germans went one-step further and dressed the body in a carbon fiber suite to reduce the car's weight. Another highlight is the solar panel mounted behind the driver that collects the sun's energy and converts it into electricity to power up the batteries – or so the company claims.The roadster model's electric motor produces the equivalent of 272-horsepower and 350Nm (258.2 lb-ft) of constant torque, which is said to be enough to propel the PG Elektrus to 100km/h (62mph) in less than three seconds and on to a top speed of up to 300km/h (186mph) – which if true, would probably drain out the batteries and significantly reduce the car's autonomy.
A special audio-based system allows the drive to select from a range of sounds that emulate real engines including a full-bodied V8 and a Formula-One racecar.
PG says that the Elektrus has a driving range of up to 350 kilometers or about 217 miles under normal conditions.
The German company has plans to produce a total of 667 examples of the Elektrus, each with a starting price of €240,000 (US$312,400).
