British van maker Ariel has updated its Nomad electric SUV. A small, privately owned company, Ariel, has unveiled the E-Nomad concept, which replaces the petrol engine with an electric motor and battery pack, and uses eco-friendly body panels.
The Nomad itself is an off-road version of the Ariel Atom.
The concept is based on the updated Ariel Nomad 2, which was recently unveiled with a 2.3-litre turbocharged Ford engine with power outputs of 260, 302 and 305 hp. In the E-Nomad, it has been replaced by a rear-mounted electric motor with a power output of 281 hp.
Ariel claims that the SUV matches the best speed of the petrol version, and acceleration to 100 km/h will not exceed 3.4 seconds.
The 41 kWh battery pack provides a range of around 150 miles (240 km), but this is likely based on the European “optimistic” WLTP test cycle. The battery also has a special heater to pre-cool it in cold weather. A CCS DC fast-charging port provides a 20-80% charge in around 25 minutes.
While the E-Nomad still lacks doors, it does have a roof and more closed sides than the production Nomad, reducing aerodynamic drag by 30%. Part of the structure is made of flax (!!!), which, according to Ariel, is 9% lighter than carbon fiber and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 73% (referring to the production of parts – approx. positivnews.ru). Thanks to the materials used, the weight of the car does not exceed 900 kilograms – quite decent for an electric car, but still about 200 heavier than the gasoline original Nomad 2.