A Blast From the Past, and Future
DeLorean, the car most famous for its role in the “Back to the Future” movie franchise, is coming back, but instead of being powered by a flux capacitor, it’ll be motivated by batteries and electric motors. The DeLorean Motor Company, a revival of the brand originally founded by former GM executive John DeLorean, recently released photos of the Alpha5, which it says will be revealed live at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August 2022.
Like the original DeLorean DMC-12, the Alpha5 has been penned by Italian masters ItalDesign – and it also has massive gull-wing doors like its predecessor. But that’s about where the similarities end. The original DeLorean was a two-seat sports/luxury car powered by an anemic rear-mounted V6 engine, while the Alpha5 is a full four-seater, and promises electrifying performance.
The Alpha5 Far From Retro
Thankfully, while the Alpha5 retains the gull-wing doors and the strong character line going all the way around the car, it avoids playing the retro card, and instead envisions a DeLorean for the future. The body is exceptionally aerodynamic, with a 0.23 coefficient of drag – much smoother and more curvaceous than the wedgy original. At the front, there are thin LED headlights that merge into a grille of sorts.
There’s a modern greenhouse with lots of glass and full-width LED tail lights, while the vents over the rear glass are a subtle but obvious nod to the eighties. Large-diameter multi-spike wheels look great and enhance the aerodynamic performance of the Alpha5. Both front and rear bumpers have an illuminated V-shaped design element that gives the new DeLorean a distinctive look at night.
Real Room for Four
The DeLorean Alpha5 is not a small car. Measuring just under 200 inches long, over 80 inches wide, and just 54 inches tall, it is longer, wider, but lower than a Porsche Taycan. The giant gull-wing doors make it exceptionally easy to access the cabin, which has four individual seats on either side of a full-length center console. The dashboard is simple and clean, with a digital instrument cluster, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and a secondary touchscreen for the infotainment system. There’s also a wireless charging tray and the welcome presence of some physical controls. The V-shaped design element from the exterior is repeated inside.
Joos de Vries, CEO of DeLorean, says that “the Alpha5 is for people that love to drive.” Neilo Harris, Vice President, adds: “We have been given the opportunity to reimagine a brand that has meant to much to so many people from all corners of the globe for four decades. DeLorean has touched so many lives and set the stage for so many memories. We are all now witnessing a new chapter of this amazing story.”
300 Miles of Range
DeLorean has not yet released detailed specifications, but the “base performance model” will feature a large 100-kWh battery, which it claims will deliver more than 300 miles of EPA estimated range. The output of the electric motors is not specified, but the company claims the Alpha5 will accelerate to 60 mph in 2.99 seconds, and to 88 mph (!) in 4.35 seconds. Top speed will be limited to 155 mph.
More details about the DeLorean Alpha5 will be revealed at the official premiere on August 18 at the Pebble Beach Concours d ‘Elegance. While DeLorean is headquartered in the U.S., production of the Alpah5 will actually happen in Italy, with the powertrain coming from the UK. The Alpha5 is a very limited edition vehicle, and only 88 units will be made in its launch spec. Of course, the company is hard at work on future electric models – as well as a hydrogen-powered SUV.
Looking for a new ride? Use our GreenCars Buyer's Guide to explore all upcoming, new and used electric cars.
