Electric Two-Seat Caterham on the Way: Report

• Caterham is working on a new two-seat electric sports car, according to a report by Autocar.
• According to the report, the new sports car is completely unrelated to the Seven, though it will share a lot of the same characteristics.
• The car is being designed by Anthony Jannarelly, a designer best known for the W Motors Lykan HyperSport.

Caterham is only months away from revealing a new two-seat electric sports car, according to a report by Autocar. The British publication spoke with Caterham’s lead designer, Anthony Jannarelly, who is best known for the his work on the W Motors Lykan HyperSport.

The project has advanced quickly, with Autocar reporting that it was “just an idea in people’s heads” in September and that now a design reveal is imminent.

Switching from a front-mounted internal combustion engine to an electric powertrain opens the door for Caterham to evolve, something Jannarelly emphasized to Autocar. As he put it, the intent is to “please the existing Caterham fans while also trying to reach another type of audience.”

“The principle is always lightness,” Jannarelly explained. “And the driving pleasure is a consequence of this lightness. The key words are always simplicity, lightness, and driving joy.”

Expect a Fresh Look

According to Autocar, Caterham CEO Bob Laishley previously confirmed the new EV will hit the manufacturer’s ideological pillars but will also distinguish itself from the Seven. That means that besides the cars sharing the basic two-seat design and simple cabin, we shouldn’t expect too many other similarities.

Switching to an EV powertrain will allow for new styling cues, and possibly a more compact structure. One thing we do know for sure (because Jannarelly confirmed it to Autocar) is that the unnamed future car will not feature the same elongated hood design that the Seven uses, and it could take on a more traditional sports-car shape.

Laishley also got into a bit more detail on the construction of the new car, even hinting at a potential roof. “Like the Seven, it will have a steel spaceframe—but a different one—because they’re easy to modify in production if you need to,” he said to Autocar.

“A Pure EV from the Start”

It will have a six-panel enveloping body in aluminium or carbon fiber: two sills, two doors, plus clamshell openings front and rear. It will be prettier and more modern than a Seven—those will be big points of distinction—and maybe it will have a roof. We’re designing it as a pure EV from the start, with rear drive only.”

Caterham hasn’t given any firm notion of when we should expect to learn more, but according to this report, a production version could come as soon as 2026 with design concepts and prototypes being shown in as little as a few months. Caterham generally doesn’t list its prices online, but we feel confident in saying that the EV will run a premium over the Seven lineup.

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Associate News Editor

Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.