RBW EV Cars, a manufacturer of new hand-crafted British classic electric sports cars, has announced the launch of Spirit EV – a new EV business-to-business company, encompassing its proprietary powertrain.
Spirit EV is based out of RBW’s global headquarters in Lichfield, England, and the forthcoming technical center in Danville, Virginia. Its patented powertrain powers the RBW Roadster and GT models.
The new Spirit EV business will provide EV services to new and established builders entering the EV space, with the option to outsource individual components or entire plans to build EVs, which require extensive engineering expertise to meet safety regulations and government compliance.
The Spirit EV technical team has been designing, testing and certifying the EV powertrain used in RBW EV Cars’ Roadster and GT models. This comprises a front-mounted battery and a patented rear subframe-integrated EV powertrain. This expertise – which has been led by Spirit EV’s chief operating officer, Neil Heslington, an expert in electric vehicle integration with over 44 years of tier-one automotive experience – is now available to the wider automotive industry.
Peter Swain, CEO of RBW EV Cars, said, “My extensive experience in launching a new electric vehicle platform underscores that it’s not an overnight process; it took six years and requires meticulous planning, deep understanding, and careful attention to detail at every stage.”
Unlike other EV systems, Spirit EV integrates the drivetrain within the vehicle’s rear subframe, significantly reducing the stress on the vehicle’s body. This minimizes the risk of compromising safety and structural integrity. The placement of the battery and drivetrain allows for rear-wheel drive and a rare 50:50 weight distribution, offering superior handling, and the system is adaptable for other vehicle variants while maintaining these benefits.
Heslington, added, “The demand for replacing petrol engines with EV systems is growing globally. Spirit EV provides the tools, expertise and resources to businesses to safely and efficiently integrate EV systems into their cars.”