Meet the Apex AP-0, the lightest high-performance EV to date

Designed in Britain by a team led by Guy Colborne, the creator engineering ace behind the Elemental Rp1, the Apex AP-0 is a surprisingly light, single-motor, rear-drive performance EV starting at $185,000. On top of its wild looks, it promises 320 miles of range, a 2.3 second rush to 62 mph, and a top speed of 190 mph. Such performance comes from a floor-mounted 90 kWh battery pack providing a peak output of 649 horsepower, while in the name of safety, the AP-0 is also equipped with an advanced, LiDAR-powered driver-assistance system.

What’s radically new about this EV, however, is its power-to-weight ratio. A curb weight of 2645 pounds makes this EV considerably lighter than track-focused combustion cars offering similar power outputs, like the McLaren 600LT. To achieve a power-to-weight ratio unseen from EV manufacturers until now, Apex Motors combined a carbon-fiber tub using ground effects with lightweight subframes and carbon body panels along with a 90 kWh lithium-ion pack that weighs only 1212 pounds.

While choosing sufficiently sporty tires—measuring 19×245/55 at the front and 20×305/30 at the rear—Apex also kept the AP-0’s dimensions refreshingly compact. With a wheelbase of 104.3 inches, this two-seater is only 172 inches long, 76.18 inches wide, and 48.18 inches tall. (That last figure includes the roof-mounted LiDAR fin.) Front and rear overhangs stand at 38.1 and 29.92 inches, respectively.

The suspension is a full pushrod setup with automatic ride height adjustment provided by adjustable springs and dampers, while the brakes are carbon-ceramic discs with six-piston calipers at the front and four-piston units at the rear. Knowing that, and with your sights presumably set on the track already, a milled aluminum and carbon fiber steering wheel suggests which low-mounted bucket seat to take. Sliding deep into the chassis, the AP-0’s tub surrounds its occupants with ground effect tunnels, which work with the flat floor to provide plenty of downforce.

Inspired by dragons, the AP-0’s exterior styling is equally extreme, featuring plenty of naked composite elements, a LED parade at the rear, center-lock turbine wheels, butterfly doors, and a deep nose that is likely to plow snow.

Wherever you stand on electric sports cars, the AP-0 comes with an intriguing specs sheet. Apex Motors is a new British startup founded by Jason and Gary Leung, and its first product is a global EV that’s somehow lighter than a McLaren. On top of that, the AP-0 combines Guy Colborne’s race car design with technologies that suggest not just outstanding track performance, but also up to 320 miles of usable range unlimited by emission restrictions wherever you may go. And instead of millions, this high-speed EV starts at $185,000, with deliveries scheduled for late 2022. More as we get closer to that date.