New video shows Caterham’s 268bhp, 1430kg sports car on the move as development ramps up
Caterham has released a video showing its electric sports car, the Project V, on the move.
The snapshots show a prototype conducting various manoeuvres on a test track, including charging and braking from high speed.
The first rolling prototype of the Project V was displayed at January’s Tokyo Auto Salon, marking a major milestone in its development.
The company had previously been tight-lipped about the car’s development following the October 2024 annoucement that it would use an electric motor supplied by Yamaha.
Caterham said in December that it is evaluating the car’s motor and battery performance, as well as the durability of its chassis.
“This next step enables us to complete a comprehensive vehicle testing programme,” said Caterham CEO Kazuho Takahashi.
Takahasi – who is also president and founder of Japanese firm VT Holdings, which acquired Caterham in 2021 – assumed control of the British sports car maker last month after previous CEO Bob Laishley stepped down.
The Project V was first shown in concept form at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed. It was originally earmarked for a market launch this year.
The video shows the prototype is largely similar to the concept unveiled three years ago. Key changes include a swap from polygonal rear lights to four round items – reminiscent of those on the Ferrari F355 – and a swap from a bespoke steering wheel with an airbag to an off-the-shelf Momo part without one. It remains to be seen whether the latter part will be retained for the production car.
It also has four seats, rather than the concept’s three.
Caterham says the Project V will have 268bhp, weigh 1430kg and dispatch the 0-62mph dash in under 5.0sec. It had originally targeted a mass of 1190kg and a 0-62mph time of less than 4.5sec.
It is also aiming to achieve an official range of 249 miles and a 20-80% recharge time of 20min.
