Electric Delorean a surprise appearance at New York Auto Show
The Delorean DMC-12 was immortalised in the Back to the Future trilogy. — AFP/Relaxnews picNEW YORK, April 6 — An all-electric version of the Delorean DMC-12, immortalised in the Back to the Future trilogy, has gone on display at the New York International Auto Show.
The DMCev car was officially announced last year, but its presence was a surprise addition to the final automotive event of the US season, which runs through April 15 in New York City.
Armed with a 32-kWh lithium iron battery, the converted Delorean will be able to hit 200 km/h and boasts a top range of around 160km, with the company promising that it will cost about US$0.02 (RM0.06) per mile to drive — considerably less than the mediocre fuel economy offered by the original V6 engine, which added up to about US$0.15 a mile.
The horsepower of the model has risen from 130 to 260 and buyers will need between US$90,000 and US$100,000 to get their hands on the DMCev, which should be available in 2013, Delorean Motor Company confirmed.
Despite the fact that only 9,000 Deloreans were originally produced during the vehicle’s run in the early 1980s, the DMC-12 is still one of the most recognisable vehicles on the road, with gullwing doors and its famously unpainted stainless steel body.
Now, a whole new generation looks set to be able to get their hands on an updated version, with a refreshed interior design boasting an iPhone charger, and a new dashboard in an attempt to remove the dated feel.
With some 6,500 Deloreans still thought to be on the road, it’s likely that much of the initial interest could be in conversions, although the Delorean Motor Company has acquired the rights to the design and is also working on producing bespoke new models. — AFP/Relaxnews
