The electric McLaren "will be true to the DNA" of the brand

CEO Michael Leiters gives updates on the development of the electric supercar and calls for more public investment in the sector

By: Riccardo Ciriaco

Published by: Angel Sergeev

Jun 27, 2024 at 4:39am ET

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The electric McLaren has been talked about for years, since 2020 to be precise, when the British brand announced the transition of its entire range to zero emissions by 2030. Now, however, CEO Michael Leiters is back on the subject with more information.

Speaking to Autocar magazine on the sidelines of this year's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Summit, the British brand's head honcho reveals: "We have started an engineering programme," but "there is still a lot" to be done. Why?

McLaren DNA and supercars

It's simple (unfortunately): current technologies, especially those related to batteries, do not allow the McLaren performance and dynamics standards to be reached; more research and development are needed.

"We have to stay true to our DNA," Leiters sums up: "Our supercars are light and today they cannot be with an electric powertrain. A vehicle cannot be called a supercar if it weighs two tonnes and has 2,000 horsepower. It will take time to come up with the right solutions," he continues. "We have to study the cells, the mix of materials, the manufacturing systems, etc. It takes a lot of science. A lot of science is needed."

McLaren Artura, the British marque's first plug-in hybrid supercar

Obstacles and appeals

The obstacles don't end here, because then you have to convince customers, who are often sceptical about electric supercar projects, and we have to create a supply chain for batteries, a sector where "it is difficult to find a supplier who respects the rules of origin; the road is therefore long, with China ahead, even if we are catching up."

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Hence the appeal to UK policy: "A clear industrial strategy, driven by investment in the supply chain, which is not ready and needs more investment." The result, in the end, would be good for everyone: "There is a golden opportunity to focus on high-performance cars, because we have shown in the past that focusing on these technologies is then worthwhile."

McLaren going electric? Not so fast:

McLaren boss: "real supercars" with electric power won’t arrive until 2030

McLaren claims an electric hypercar doesn't need 2,000 bhp, it must be lightweight

“The UK was once the world’s largest vehicle exporter. Today it remains home to some of the world’s most admired performance car brands, as well as the majority of Formula 1 racing teams,” Leiters adds. “We must harness the skills, knowledge and ingenuity of the UK motorsport and performance car industry to create a global, high-performance centre of excellence. UK-based luxury and sports car brands command tremendous pricing power thanks to their rich histories, intrinsic brand value and class-leading performance attributes."

Source: Autocar

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