There is a new actor in the variegated world of electric cars, and he comes “from the future”: in fact, he could soon be seen on the roads a mythical all-electric DeLorean.
The famous gullwing car was resurrected in Texas by a group of executives who worked primarily at the electric vehicle startup Karma Automotive, backed by China and based in Irvine. This group of people is working with Stephen Wynne, who acquired the DeLorean trademark rights in the 1990s and supplies spare parts for the approximately 6,000 vehicles still in circulation.
Teasers of a new DeLorean electric vehicle surfaced this week with a social media campaign that began ahead of Super Bowl LVI, inviting viewers to register for its premiere in 2022.
Electric DeLorean, maybe it’s the right time
It is not the first time that the idea of a DeLorean rebirth has arisen. In practice, on an annual basis, there was news about Wynne’s desire to revive the brand or to produce limited edition models. But using an electric powertrain is a new twist on the idea.
The original car gained notoriety in the early 1980s for both its quality problems and the legal problems of its creator, the late John DeLorean. That was before the “Back to the Future” film franchise turned her into a pop culture icon.
The new company that should take care of the construction of an electric DeLoren is called DeLorean Motors Reimagined LLC and its managing director is Joost de Vries. The company will have a headquarters and an engineering firm in San Antonio, with the potential to bring 450 jobs.
#DeLorean DMC-12 turns 40 this year! This picture was shot on the 21st January 1981, when the very first production model was released. What a better way to celebrate an icon of automotive history than a sneak peek of the (near) future?
Stay tuned for more… #visionbeyondtime!😉 pic.twitter.com/JKcHsMjgOy— Italdesign (@italdesign) January 21, 2021
The new electric model will be called DeLorean EVolved, and it will be an up-to-date and very luxurious version of the legendary DMC-12 that raced through the streets in the early 80’s. It will certainly feature the iconic gullwing doors. And there will also be a bit of Italy in the new DeLorean as it will be designed by Italdesign by Giorgetto Giugiaro.