Apex Motors, a UK car company, unveiled its AP-0 concept EV at an event in London earlier this month. The odd-looking supercar packs racing-inspired technology, a powerful motor, and some design elements that can only be described as "unique."
The AP-0 sports a carbon-fiber cabin, body, and wheels, making it incredibly light and stiff, with a claimed curb weight of just 2,645 pounds.
The AP-0 is slightly heavier than a 2020 Mazda Miata, but gets a high-performance electric motor that makes a rated 650 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque.
With cars, it's important to think of them not just in terms of power, but in power-to-weight ratio. A 2,400-pound, 181-horsepower Mazda Miata has enough power to make it fun to drive, but the AP-0 is just barely heavier than that and has nearly four times the horsepower.
That electric motor powers the rear wheels only and sends the lightweight supercar to 62 mph in a blistering 2.3 seconds, Apex says.
Apex also promises a top speed of 190 mph and a range of 320 miles — you know, for all of those long road trips you're taking in your super-stiff, carbon-fiber track car.
Plus, Apex has included lots of race-inspired elements to make the AP-0 even more hardcore.
For example, the AP-0 has race-car-style push-rod suspension, along with a minuscule 3.7 inches of ground clearance that Apex claims reduces drag and keeps the AP-0 firmly planted to the road.
The driver sits just seven inches above ground level and assumes a "feet-up driving position." That means the pedals sit out in front of the driver, in a setup more reminiscent of a Formula One car than a passenger one.
Not to mention, Apex says the the AP-0 has a holographic augmented-reality display and an AR race instructor that helps drivers learn new racetracks.
But where the AP-0 sets itself apart is in its radical design and construction — on the car's front, sides, and rear, there are bold air vents and diffusers aplenty.
And most obviously, the AP-0 includes a gigantic fin running down its rear that, according to Apex, is both aerodynamic and structural. Apex says the fin is a nod to the styling of Formula One and Le Mans race cars.
Apex says production on the AP-0 will start in the fourth quarter of 2022, and the car will have a starting price of roughly $173,000 at current exchange rates. In the scheme of things, that's actually a relative bargain for a super-quick, full-carbon-fiber electric supercar.
