Alumni looking to power their Electric Vehicle start-up with crowdfunding
In the best entrepreneurial tradition of UK graduates, a group of Brunel Alumni have constructed a crowdfunded project to bring cost-effective electric vehicles (EVs) to the UK automotive market.
Generally characterised with poor performance and limited range, electric vehicles sales are also constrained by high purchase prices charged by traditional manufacturers. This London-based start-up believes that there is no technical or commercial reason why much better performance can’t be achieved by EVs at an affordable cost, and is using finance obtained through crowdfunding to address this opportunity.
Their initial prototype, codenamed “Sparky” is a traditional 3 door hatchback “glider”, (car without engine), with an electrical powertrain added. It differs from most existing EVs in that the battery capacity of 32 Kw-Hr (Units), allows for a driving range of around 160 miles (250km), far more than comparable vehicles from Nissan or Renault and removing the “range anxiety” suffered by their owners.
Project Leader, Martin Langley (Social Sciences, 1976), said “Leaving aside the issues of range and initial pricing, many motorists still do not realise the practical value of electrics including not needing petrol and being virtually maintenance free. Add to that the tax and subsidy benefits of zero emissions and you have a value proposition easily comparable with traditional automotive fuelled cars.
“When initial pricing is comparable, as ours is, and range anxiety is removed, then you are left with an overwhelming case to go electric likely to be a game changer in the car industry. Our proposition is targeted directly at that sweet spot and our investors are among the first to benefit from the opportunity.”
For further information visit the Sparky Automotive Facebook page.