Alcraft GT: British-developed electric shooting brake revealed

The electric Alcraft GT has been revealed in pictures ahead of a 1/3-scale design model being displayed at the Cenex LCV event next week. 

The GT is a two-door shooting brake with lightweight, carbonfibre construction, a four-seat layout and 500 litres of boot space. 

Alcraft quotes 600bhp and 840lb ft for the GT. This closely matches the Tesla Model S P100D’s 603bhp, but eclipses its 713lb ft of torque. Alcraft is keen to remain battery only rather than fit a range extender, given the benefits in performance and driving experience. A range of 300 miles is also quoted, although this could grow with the addition of a range extender engine, which the company is considering. 

Three-motor four-wheel drive is planned, which Alcraft says provides a 0-62mph time of around 3.5sec. 

The GT's powertrain was engineered by Delta Motorsport, a Silverstone-based company which unveiled an ultra-efficient micro-turbine range extender last year. 

Alcraft has enlisted Continental to supply safety systems and Michelin as its official tyre supplier. 

Behind the development of the car on the Alcraft team are various executives from around the car industry, including Charles Morgan, former SMMT boss Christopher MacGowan and ex-Toyota, Daewoo and Michelin executive Mark Carbery. The company was founded by David Alcraft, a successful businessman in the healthcare field and classic car enthusiast. 

Production volumes have not been given, but Alcraft aims to become part of the UK’s low-volume car industry, so limited numbers is likely. Talking to Autocar, Carbery said: "We expect single-figure thousands over its life cycle. Subject to the right investment, we’re targeting launching the car for sale before the end of 2019."

Alcraft plans for the car to be peerless, says Carbery, who said: "We did benchmarking early on, and one of things that showed is that there isn’t anything directly comparable - an electric shooting brake. Things haven’t changes much since. Tesla doesn’t produce this kind of vehicle, the Porsche Mission E has yet to happen (and is four-door), the Aston Rapide E also four-door.

We looked at the i8, which is more a hybrid and has little load space, and the Ferrari GTC4 Lusso, which is perhaps a better comparison in terms of the concept of the vehicle - but it’s ICE of course. We want to capture that British, compact, lightweight, dynamic ethos."

The GT's design was penned by Matthew Humphries, whose portfolio includes the Morgan Aeromax and Life Car fuel-cell vehicle. 

Alcraft says the GT is ready to enter working prototype form, and has launched a crowdfunding initiative to make this happen. When on sale, which will be before the end of 2019 if the funding goes to plan, Alcraft will price the car at between £135-£145,000