While virtually all car manufacturers are beginning to take the electric path - or at least been thinking about it - British supercar company McLaren is steering clear from it. At least for now. The CEO of McLaren Mike Flewitt told the press that the electric tech doesn't really help in making a great sports car due to the weight of the battery.
The weight issue is a big deal for the car company because they have this reputation of creating lightweight yet ultra-fast cars. In fact, some of their vehicles' exteriors are made from carbon fiber, thus only weighs more or less 3 tons. That's 2 tons less compared to an average Model S sedans that come with engines that weigh around 1,200 pounds.
But while you won't be seeing electric McLaren cars anytime soon, expect for some hybrids coming up. Reports state that the first wave of McLaren plug-in hybrids are going to take off some time in late 2020.
McLaren hybrid cars claim to have a battery range of 25-30 miles. After hitting that range, the fuel engine takes over the car system. They also claim that McLaren hybrids can go up to 60mph in just 2.8 seconds. Not bad. The first of McLaren hybrid kind would be the 720S Spider, a convertible two-seater type. The damage? Only a bit over $411,000.
Apart from the engine, McLaren also focuses on the hybrid's architecture. They're really in the hopes of taking the sweet top spot of the next wave of vehicles, which include pining down Tesla cars. The company is banking on top-notch, state-of-the-art electronics systems that can boost the superiority of its safety features.
McLaren GT
But as mentioned, hybrids coming from McLaren won't be happening anytime soon, but here's one that everyone should look out for. The McLaren GT just touched the US model and is the perfect alternative for people who are looking for a more affordable two-seater super sports car. The GT comes with a 612 horsepower 4.0 V8 engine and dual-clutch transmission with 7 drive modes. It can go up as high as 60mph in 3.1 seconds and can drive fast with 203 mph speed. Unlike some two-seaters, the McLaren GT offers more cargo space behind the passenger seat and a compartment located in the nose. Its price is slated to be around $200,000.
At the end of the day, McLaren has this aspect for the future; to have a full-electric sports car 5 or 6 years from now. But that's going to come with a lot of research and trials. What they - the McLaren company - are assuring is that they are going to look on how to make ultra-light yet powerful engines. To that, they are planning to shell out more than $1.6 billion on research and development alone.
But we know that $200,000 is a pretty steep price. So click on the link to check out our array of pre-inspected used cars. Most of them might not be sports cars, but the driving and performance are the same.
