AC Cars to produce electric Cobra

In conjunction with AC Heritage, AC Cars Ltd. have been producing Cobras in the classic style for years, but following the recent trend of carmakers like VW, Aston Martin and Jaguar electrifying classic models, AC have announced that they will release a limited-edition Cobra with electric power.

Details are a little sketchy, but the AC Cobra ‘Series 1 electric’ will feature an electric motor producing 230kW and up to 500Nm, as well as a 190+km/h top speed and 0-100km/h time of 6.7 seconds. A 54kWh lithium-ion battery allows an estimated range of 150 miles (241km).

The body, in high-grade composite (not aluminium), will be identical to that of a 1962 AC Cobra, but the underlying ladder frame will be modified to suit the zero-emission drivetrain, as well as the steering, braking and selected other components.

The interior will be finished with hand-stitched leather seats and a classic Moto Lita steering wheel, while four exterior colours will be available – AC Electric Blue, AC Electric Black, AC Electric Green and AC Electric White.

AC Cars Ltd. will produce only 58 units of the Series 1 electric, the number reflecting 58 years since the original Cobra was released. The suggested retail price is £138,000 (AU$250,000 approx.) plus on-road costs, with AC Cars advising customer deliveries will start before the end of 2020.

Concurrent with the Series 1 electric, an AC Cobra ‘140 Charter Edition’ will also be produced by the English carmaker this year. This model will use a more conventional drivetrain in the form of a 2.3-litre Ford EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine (the ‘140’ comes from the 2.3’s equivalent in cubic inches).

As applied to the Cobra, performance from this engine will be in the 260kW/440Nm range, but with the AC car’s 1,100kg body being around 500kg lighter than a Mustang EcoBoost fastback, acceleration times and top speed should be higher.

The 140 Charter Edition will offer similar braking, handling and steering upgrades as the electric version, but will come with a more affordable price tag of £58,000 (AU$152,000 approx.) and a wider range of colours. The 140 Charter Edition will also be limited to 58 units, with production commencing later this year.