A CULT favourite motorsport engineering group has switched gears to help develop a bizarre new EV project.
Years after running a highly successful F1 team, they’re now set to release an intriguing electric motor that could be the next tuk-tuk.
Racing gurus Prodrive, who, among other projects, once ran the BAR F1 team in the 2000s, are lining up a curious new electric vehicle as part of a collaboration.
Called the Evolv, this lightweight EV has been engineered by Prodrive and designed by Astheimer – with the two forming a new company called Elm Mobility.
Made specifically for urban deliveries, this intriguing little motor is set to launch in 2028 – with prices starting at £25,000.
Despite its compact size, the Evolv has been built to carry huge loads and can tow as much as a medium-sized N1 commercial vehicle.
Weighing 850 kg and featuring a 20 kWh battery, the Evolv offers a range of around 100 miles and a top speed of 50 mph, making it ideal for deliveries in the city.
The little van has two loading areas, providing a total cargo space of 4,000 litres.
The front loading area can hold a Euro pallet of up to 300 kg, while the rear holds up to 200 kg.
Better still, the van’s small size allows for a turning circle of 7.8 metres – similar to the iconic London taxi.
Ultimately, the Evolv has been designed for efficiency and can charge from 20% to 80% in under two hours.
It has just a single, central driver’s seat – said to provide better visibility and accessibility, as well as eliminating the need for separate left and right-hand drive models to be made.
As reported by Autocar, Iain Roche, CEO of Prodrive Advanced Technology and co-CEO of Elm Mobility, revealed the company’s dream is to challenge the current iteration of vans used across Europe.
“There is an old fleet that needs to be replaced with something fit for purpose,” he said.
“And frankly, at the moment there isn’t a thing that solves that need.
“We’re confident to back ourselves, but we’re certainly not sitting here thinking it’s going to be an easy journey.
“We’ve thought long and hard about manufacturing strategy and all those things to make sure we learn from what others have done differently.”
Elm’s vision is to build around 10,000 units a year by 2030, which Roche described as “easily double” a few years beyond that.
He said: “The market itself is emerging and developing.
“But this could be the next tuk-tuk, applied to all sorts of things all over the world.
“Frankly, the market could be massive.”
Many petrolheads will be familiar with the name Prodrive from their varying levels of success across motorsport.
They are perhaps most famous for their work with Subaru, which saw them win three World Rally Championship titles with drivers like Colin McRae and Richard Burns.
They have also achieved multiple wins in the GT class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, particularly with Aston Martin.
Biggest of all is their brief stint in F1 through its ownership of the BAR team in the early 2000s, which later became Honda, then Brawn GP, and finally the Mercedes team we know today.
Prodrive has also worked on a number of road car projects, including their work with Aston Martin on enhanced versions of the Vantage and DBS, and with Subaru – producing road versions of the iconic Impreza WRX STI.
Subaru itself is set to release two new models in the UK by 2026 as it targets a massive expansion of sales.
Elsewhere, Alpine have revealed their newest upcoming model which could rival the Porsche Macan.
