Shelby SuperCars Ultimate Aero EV: World's fastest electric car

In conjunction with the release of its 2009 Ultimate Aero at the Abu Dhabi International Motor Show in December, Shelby SuperCars announced details of an electric version of the same car, due to be launched in the second half of this year. We hope the oil sheikhs of Abu Dhabi took the news graciously, as Shelby's move seems rather like walking into a convention of cigarette makers and announcing a cure for tobacco addiction. Perhaps they merely smiled at the fairly outlandish-sounding claims of Shelby.

According to Shelby, the powertrain developed for the Ultimate Aero EV uses a lithium-ion battery pack, which can be fully charged from a 110V AC outlet in 10 minutes. This powertrain can be scaled from 200 horsepower up to 500 horsepower, with a special, dual-motor configuration that could produce 1,200 horsepower.

On top of that, Shelby has claimed a 200-mile range. If this powertrain can truly meet these specifications, Shelby will revolutionalise electric cars. Fortunately, we only have to wait about 10 months to see if it happens.

The details of this powertrain follow an announcement in July of last year that Shelby was working on turning the Ultimate Aero into an electric car. In that announcement, Shelby said its electric powertrain "will feature a revolutionary power source allowing for extended time between charging intervals, with the possibility of several years between charging".