Delta Motorsport, a UK engineering consultancy based at the Silverstone Circuit, has designed and built the battery-electric Delta E-4 Coupe from the ground up. Delta's focus on light weight and high-efficiency systems means that the two-door coupe has a range of 200 miles on a single charge and yet can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds.

May 9th saw the launch of the E-4 at Silverstone where it was designed and manufactured, attended by Quentin Wilson and Robert Llewellyn everyone got to drive and discover the next generation of electric vehicles using the very latest technological advances to achieve a greater driving performance.

The company, which was founded in 2005 by Simon Dowson and Nick Carpenter, has considerable experience in the motorsport and mainstream automotive sectors as well as other high performance engineering and clean technology projects.

Dowson says: "We became involved with the design of hybrid and electric vehicles because they share many of the engineering challenges associated with motor sport - light weight parts, aerodynamic efficiency and innovative packaging solutions. We've had to re-think road cars from the beginning, looking at low cost composite structures, system efficiencies and novel occupant packaging."

The key to the E-4 Coupé's impressive performance and range is the integration of all these technologies into a single vehicle:

• The carbon composite chassis, designed by Delta and manufactured by KS Composites, weighs just 187 lbs (85 kg) - 2/3 less than a comparable steel structure despite being designed to pass EU crash tests.
• The high performance direct-drive electric motors were designed in partnership with Oxford University and spin-out Oxford YASA Motors and produce well over 553 lb-ft (600 Nm) of torque and over 120 hp each while only weighing 51 lbs (23 kg).
• The low, sporty seating position with the batteries mounted under the floor means that the car handles superbly but it also helps reduce aerodynamic drag.

Development of the car was supported by a grant for research and development by the Regional Development Agency for the East Midlands area, EMDA. Five vehicles have been produced for the Technology Strategy Board Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator Program, the vehicles are part of the EEMS Accelerate consortium which aims to showcase high performance electric vehicles with cutting edge British design and engineering.

The Delta E-4 Coupe will be taking part in the RAC Future Car Challenge on Saturday 5th November 2011, one day before the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, the world's longest-running motoring event. The event showcases the very latest low energy vehicles in a 60-mile trial from Brighton to London, with the challenge of using the least amount energy over the route.