British sports car manufacturer Morgan Motor Company, which has been producing beautiful handcrafted machines for more than 100 years, today announced that it has set its sights firmly on an electric future with the introduction of its XP-1 development vehicle.
The feisty three-wheeler, itself based on the same aluminum platform as the current Ford petrol 1.5-litre Super 3, is not intended for production in its current guise and is purely a technology demonstrator, designed to enable engineers to historic Malvern factory to work out the best combination of components, software mapping and configuration to create a pure EV that stays true to Morgan's lightweight ethos.
Those with a good memory for all things automotive will know that this isn't Morgan's first attempt at electrification. The stylish, slightly glasses-eyed, steampunk-inspired one EV3 appeared on the British sports car manufacturer's stand at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show and immediately caused division between fans of the brand and mere spectators.
On the one hand it looked really nice. But on the other hand, it was a far cry from the cottage industry, hand-built ethos that runs through every Morgan car produced since 1909. After all, the current Plus Four and Plus Six still look largely the same as Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan's original. to design have a frame made of hand-planed ash wood. The factory is a beautiful time capsule of craftsmanship.
So why did Morgan pull the plug on his original electric three-wheeler? “A lot of people liked it, but we were a bit before our time,” explains Morgan's Chief Technical Officer Matt Hole, as he shows me around the latest XP-1.
“With EV3 we were at the mercy of suppliers, who dictated which components we could access. As a result, we had to do all our research around what was available, and not what we wanted. Things changed, supply chains became an issue and that was the end of the EV3 project,” he adds.
A new era for Morgan
This time it's different. Hole explains that the software and digital vehicle toolchain that Morgan developed played a crucial role in the selection of those components, allowing the team to essentially create a digital twin of the XP-1's batteries, motors and electrical architecture, and effectively 'drag and drop' the perfect setup.
“This is the first car combination of this engine and inverter combination, it is Morgan's first in-house developed powertrain,” explains Matt Hole. “The software we use has allowed us to experiment without incurring huge development costs, and to choose the configuration that offers the best balance between performance and price,” he adds.
As a result, the XP-1 is equipped with a 33 kWh battery, an electric motor that produces 100 kW (approximately 134 hp) and 300 Nm of torque. This is located behind the driver and drives the rear wheel via a chain.
To create the classic driving feel of a Morgan three-wheeler, where it is possible to overpower the rear wheel and spin the vehicle almost on the front axle, Dan and his team of engineers placed the battery pack up front, essentially where you'll find the combustion engine today. Compared to the current Super 3, the overall setup is only about 60kg heavier.
Neatly, the vehicle charging port is also located at the front, behind a special cover that is shaped like a zero. The XP-1 features a Combined Charging System (CCS) optimized for fast charging and offers bi-directional charging capabilities, with the ability to “power a kettle when you're on the go,” according to Dan Poulter, Morgan's Electrical Systems Engineer .
There's no official word on electric range yet, as the team is still finalizing the different driving modes, but the team is aiming for more than 100 miles on a single charge.
A smart Mog
In addition to the unique electric drivetrain, this is also the first Morgan with a built-in telematics module. It has helped engineers quickly collect data during the development phases, but it could also enable over-the-air software updates of the vehicle later. This could adjust power output in different driving modes or get more out of the batteries with more efficient operation of the electric motor.
“There is still work to be done with the driving modes on offer,” Poulter explains. “So far we have four different settings, shown on the digital display as chili peppers – our graphic designer had a bit of fun with that.
“We actually started with the spiciest setting and started dialing everything back, working out the best mix of acceleration, traction control, top speed and regenerative braking to make sure this handles and feels like a Morgan should,” adds he added.
Chief Technical Officer Matt Hole admits it's easy to produce an electric vehicle that's lightning fast in a straight line, but making something light and genuinely fun is much harder.
“We emphasized the sound, but after a while we realized that the soundtrack produced by the electric motor and inverter had a character of its own. There's no adulteration either, it's a natural whine that makes the XP-1 sound and feel unique ,” he adds.
Shaping the future
While Morgan is keen to point out that the XP-1 is not destined to enter production in its current state, the company admits there is customer demand there, while also understanding the importance of electrification to its future. Even a car manufacturer that produces only 800 units per year still has to take batteries and electric motors into account if it wants to survive.
Matt Hole and his team like the XP-1 because it is not tied to any particular project or timeline. “We can keep coming back and changing things and experimenting with the best setup for this vehicle and future Morgans,” he says.
Some examples include experimenting with an actuator sound system, amplifying the natural sounds of the electric motor, and creating low-level safety notes without the need for speakers. “We set up a system with twelve actuators with the help of Sennheiser and the sound was insane,” he happily admits.
In an interview with Coach last year, Morgan's new CEO, Massimo Fumarola, who was appointed by the recent Italian investors, said: “Heritage is not insurance. You have to have good plans for your future.” It's clear that electrification is a key part of that future, whether it means implementing batteries and motors in the current Super and Plus range, or starting from scratch with an entirely new model.
“Everyone who has driven the XP-1 comes back with a huge smile on their face,” Hole explains. “The instant torque delivery, the speed, the sound of the engine and the wind hitting your face, it's just so visceral and fun,” he adds.
In a world full of bloated, heavy EVs that require a ton of built-in technology to make them fun, there's certainly room for a stripped-down, almost analogue EV experience. If there's one company that can do that, it's Morgan.