Morgan is bringing its all-electric three-wheeler to production this year with new partnership

Classic three-wheeler and roadster maker Morgan is stepping into the electric vehicle world in a bigger way through a new partnership with Frazer-Nash Energy Systems to bring the Morgan EV3 to production as soon as Q3 2018.

We were impressed when Morgan unveiled the production version of its all-electric 3-wheeler, the EV 3, at the 2016 Geneva Motor show last year. The vehicle hit the mark in term of design and proved one of the most satisfying cars developed by the company, which is known for its rich history of iconic car designs.

Later in 2016, they ended up releasing the first few vehicles in a limited edition with a slightly updated design.

At that time, they said that they planned to bring the vehicle to regular series production, but we haven’t heard much about the project until now.

Last month, Morgan announced the partnership with the powertrain development company.

They explained the main points behind the partnership:

• Morgan Motor Company announces technical partnership with Frazer-Nash Energy Systems as the all-electric Morgan EV3 enters production next year.
• Partnership with industry-leading Frazer-Nash Energy Systems sees the EV3 with an all-new architecture, incorporating components already well proven on road vehicles plus fast charging technology, proven reliability, lower centre of gravity, greater levels of torque and improved acceleration.
• The EV3 is Morgan’s first production all-electric car and the first Morgan to utilise composite panels in its body construction.
• The EV3 will have a range of 120 miles and will offer the same exhilarating driving experience as the petrol version, with a top speed of 83 mph.
• Design is inspired by 1930’s Aero-engine race cars, classic motorcycles and 1950’s fantasy automatons
• The EV3 will go into production in Q3 in 2018 at Morgan’s Pickersleigh Road factory

Steve Morris, Managing Director of Morgan Motor Company, said about the announcement:

“We are delighted to announce our technical partnership with Frazer-Nash Energy Systems as we enter this exciting phase of EV3 production. We have been working closely on optimizing the EV3’s architecture in every way to develop a car which will offer proven reliability range and cooling performance, combined with the pure driving experience that is expected of every hand-crafted Morgan. The greatest challenge lies within introducing EV technology into our factory; work flows, customer experience and supporting dealer network in a robust and most importantly safe manner. Frazer-Nash Energy Systems offer us every confidence in achieving this. This will result in Morgan’s first entrance to the world of EV being incredibly rewarding, but moreover sets the scene for many exiting future opportunities.”

 Noamaan Siddiqi, Managing Director of Frazer-Nash Energy Systems, also commented:

“The EV3 plays an important role in Morgan’s future strategy. Achieving Zero Emissions using electrification is a requirement no manufacturer can afford to ignore. Morgan have always embraced the latest technology within their vehicles to ensure they can continue to build relevant handcrafted British sports cars. At Frazer-Nash Energy Systems, we appreciate the heritage and craft that Morgan brings to the world of EV technology and we in turn will bring decades of EV expertise to ensure that EV3 customers will receive a car that is reliable, proven and exhilarating to drive, a thoroughbred Morgan. We are very pleased to be able to provide energy management and propulsion systems to the EV3. A lightweight, spirited driving experience beneath a coach built body is key to the identity of any Morgan. This remains a core focus throughout the development of the EV3.”

The production version will be equipped with a 21 kWh battery pack and an electric motor capable of a 34.8 kW continuous output and 41.8 kW of peak power is installed in the back to power the rear wheel.

Electrek’s Take

They haven’t released pricing and we don’t expect production to reach significant levels, but it still nice to see even niche carmakers getting into electric vehicles more seriously and adding them to their lineup.

I like the idea of those types of vehicles – which are not generally used for daily commutes but instead mainly as weekend cars – being coupled with V2G technology to use the battery pack as backup power for the owner’s home.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.