The DeLorean could make a comeback as an electric car

[Shawn Knight]

In brief: One area of particular interest is the powertrain. The engine that DMC originally planned to use was compliant through 2022 but at this stage, it doesn’t make much sense to go with something that is so close to reaching end-of-life status. So how about an electric powertrain?

It’s been nearly five years since I wrote about the DeLorean Motor Company’s (DMC) plan to start building replicas of its namesake DeLorean using modern amenities.

Those plans were apparently contingent upon the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) implementing a regulation allowing low-volume vehicle makers to start selling replica cars that were at least 25 years old.

In what is a surprise to absolutely nobody, the agency took its sweet time in handling the matter. Recently, however, the final regulations were completed, paving the road for companies like DMC to move forward with plans that have been collecting dust on the shelf for the past several years.

The problem is that the rest of the world has moved on. Some suppliers that were in place have since gone out of business during the pandemic, and others are no longer interested in low-volume component production. Worse yet, some of the key contacts that DMC had at other companies have retired or taken jobs elsewhere.

In short, DMC has a lot of catching up to do.

DMC said it is now considering an all-electric powertrain for its new DeLorean. Going the EV route would make it easier to navigate the “emissions maze” and certainly jives with the futuristic vibe the car has had ever since its debut and subsequent feature in the Back to the Future series.

Masthead credit: Thiago Melo

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/88381-delorean-could-make-comeback-electric-car.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Have any of you actually seen a Delorean in real life?

Have you driven one?

I have a friend here who has one and I've driven it. He brings it to our car shows. It's a terrible experience beyond the "I'm driving a DeLorean.

The car failed because it was a terrible design.

It's way too small for your average American who is tall and probably obese.

Gull wing doors are TERRIBLE for modern traffic and parking (Tesla's failed too which is why they stopped them after the Model X).

On the current EV platform you can pretty much pin any vehicle design, but ultimately, to justify the production and R&D you have to sell in high enough numbers to warrant it.

Who is buying an EV Delorean over a Tesla Model 3 or Y?

Tesla's Roadster actually makes way more sense.

The real question is: how will the Cybertruck's stainless steel body fair - as that's what set the DeLorean apart most.

What I do enjoy is knowing that the instant torque, energy efficiency and reduced maintenance of an EV is ultimately going to kill 4 cylinders and 6 cylinders. The only real safe haven for people who want to hold onto a muscle car will be the v8, supercharged/ forced induction muscle cars...but even those get slaughtered by a Tesla Ludicrous or Plaid mode.

Until you actually drive a Ludicrous EV after having driven the fastest affordable V6 and v8 do you understand what I'm saying. A DeLorean design based on the Tesla Roadster would eat my Hellcat Charger alive.

 

[DZillaXx]

Have any of you actually seen a Delorean in real life?

Have you driven one?

I have a friend here who has one and I've driven it. He brings it to our car shows. It's a terrible experience beyond the "I'm driving a DeLorean.

The car failed because it was a terrible design.

It's way too small for your average American who is tall and probably obese.

Gull wing doors are TERRIBLE for modern traffic and parking (Tesla's failed too which is why they stopped them after the Model X).

On the current EV platform you can pretty much pin any vehicle design, but ultimately, to justify the production and R&D you have to sell in high enough numbers to warrant it.

Who is buying an EV Delorean over a Tesla Model 3 or Y?

Tesla's Roadster actually makes way more sense.

The real question is: how will the Cybertruck's stainless steel body fair - as that's what set the DeLorean apart most.

What I do enjoy is knowing that the instant torque, energy efficiency and reduced maintenance of an EV is ultimately going to kill 4 cylinders and 6 cylinders. The only real safe haven for people who want to hold onto a muscle car will be the v8, supercharged/ forced induction muscle cars...but even those get slaughtered by a Tesla Ludicrous or Plaid mode.

Until you actually drive a Ludicrous EV after having driven the fastest affordable V6 and v8 do you understand what I'm saying. A DeLorean design based on the Tesla Roadster would eat my Hellcat Charger alive.

The Avg Amercian has no lust for a car in the first place. This article is hot air. The Only cars Americans want these days are sport cars, otherwise we want Trucks and SUVs.

If anything I'm wanting to see how well the cybertruck does. As my Half ton diesel easily does 600-700miles per tank of gas, has more rear leg room than a Yukon, and has the ride quality of a higher end sedan. Only thing a SUV does better is ones that have caption chairs in the back that can recline back nice and far. I'm from the midwest and it is common to own things like boats and campers. As someone that has nearly a mix of everything, poor range would be a killer for me. I personally can't wait to go electric, but I just don't see battery tech up to par for real truck duty. Running low on juice in upper wisconsin isn't want I'd want to see.

 

[Uncle Al]

Had a DMC back when I was a young Army Officer; got it off a kid headed overseas for next to nothing other than paying it off so his credit didn't take a hit. It wasn't great but it wasn't that bad other than the engine was terribly under powered. I fixed that by getting a buddy to drop a Chevy small block V6 in it and WOW what a difference. Back in it's day it was a typical sports car but that brushed stainless steel body really set it off and I had endless supply of girlfriends just dying to ride in it and get their picture with it. Interior was nothing special, never had problems with the gull wing doors although it did have a bit of an understeer. Never ding'd it so I have no idea what a repair on that body would run. Ridden in a few since then, many of which people actually painted them ... Ugh I must have been lucky because I have heard and read of others that had terrible experience with them. Buying an electric one? Hmmmmm ... don't think size wise that would work well but it's an interesting idea .....

 

[Inthenstus]

Please, that would be awesome. Just make the blind spots better though. The rear looks horrible. I expect like a giant *** screen to act as my rear view near.

 

[Adhmuz]

Like all resto-mod-electro-muscle cars, the demand is way too low and the price ends up being way too high for any real interest from the average motorist.

 

[captaincranky]

Quite bluntly, if anything was to be released, it should be this:

 

[candle_86]

Have any of you actually seen a Delorean in real life?

Have you driven one?

I have a friend here who has one and I've driven it. He brings it to our car shows. It's a terrible experience beyond the "I'm driving a DeLorean.

The car failed because it was a terrible design.

It's way too small for your average American who is tall and probably obese.

Gull wing doors are TERRIBLE for modern traffic and parking (Tesla's failed too which is why they stopped them after the Model X).

On the current EV platform you can pretty much pin any vehicle design, but ultimately, to justify the production and R&D you have to sell in high enough numbers to warrant it.

Who is buying an EV Delorean over a Tesla Model 3 or Y?

Tesla's Roadster actually makes way more sense.

The real question is: how will the Cybertruck's stainless steel body fair - as that's what set the DeLorean apart most.

What I do enjoy is knowing that the instant torque, energy efficiency and reduced maintenance of an EV is ultimately going to kill 4 cylinders and 6 cylinders. The only real safe haven for people who want to hold onto a muscle car will be the v8, supercharged/ forced induction muscle cars...but even those get slaughtered by a Tesla Ludicrous or Plaid mode.

Until you actually drive a Ludicrous EV after having driven the fastest affordable V6 and v8 do you understand what I'm saying. A DeLorean design based on the Tesla Roadster would eat my Hellcat Charger alive.

Your hellcat sure, but tesla isn't running the salt flats, a tesla can't compete with a built engine, your hellcat while nice can gain another 3-400 hp for 5k in parts and still be street legal hell you can get parts that give it hp and torque numbers tesla can only dream of, same goes for a v6. You also get the advantage of being able to drive it cross country without having to wait 4 hours every fill-up. In an endurance race EVs can't compete, and their longevity and reliability is still unproven, when you can run the same engine 30 years later then it might be able to say it's long term viable. I've seen a 62 Ford F100 parked for 30 years start up after a simple carb rebuild and fresh oil. EVs aren't their yet.

 

[VitalyT]

Quite bluntly, if anything was to be released, it should be this:

Seriously? I don't know what this is, but from its retro design, this thing clearly has the most horrible rear visibility, for one thing. And for another, folding headlights are unanimously a bad-design idea, which caused 100 times more problems than it solved, with myriad of technical problems.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Your hellcat sure, but tesla isn't running the salt flats, a tesla can't compete with a built engine, your hellcat while nice can gain another 3-400 hp for 5k in parts and still be street legal hell you can get parts that give it hp and torque numbers tesla can only dream of, same goes for a v6. You also get the advantage of being able to drive it cross country without having to wait 4 hours every fill-up. In an endurance race EVs can't compete, and their longevity and reliability is still unproven, when you can run the same engine 30 years later then it might be able to say it's long term viable. I've seen a 62 Ford F100 parked for 30 years start up after a simple carb rebuild and fresh oil. EVs aren't their yet.

Actually I have recharged our Model S Ludicrous in 1 hour 15 minutes.

 

[candle_86]

Actually I have recharged our Model S Ludicrous in 1 hour 15 minutes.

Still not ideal, I'll consider an ev as viable if they are proven long term reliable and can either get a 5 minute recharge time (never going to happen due to the laws of physics), or they invent a compact enough cell to make a 16 hour drive possible on one charge.

 

[captaincranky]

Seriously? I don't know what this is,

It's a 1963 Corvette "Stingray". split window coupe. They're selling anywhere from 50 K to 300 K (USD).

but from its retro design, this thing clearly has the most horrible rear visibility, for one thing.

Well, "backup cameras", are a big thing nowadays. So, your observation about "visibility", is pretty much a non-starter.

And for another, folding headlights are unanimously a bad-design idea, which caused 100 times more problems than it solved, with myriad of technical problems.

That's pretty much nitpicking about what obviously would be a car in the luxury class. Besides, an updated redesign of the mechanics would likely alleviate any issues.

 

[PEnnn]

Quite bluntly, if anything was to be released, it should be this:

I concur.

 

[VitalyT]

It's a 1963 Corvette "Stingray". split window coupe. They're selling anywhere from 50 K to 300 K (USD).
Well, "backup cameras", are a big thing nowadays. So, your observation about "visibility", is pretty much a non-starter.
That's pretty much nitpicking about what obviously would be a car in the luxury class. Besides, an updated redesign of the mechanics would likely alleviate any issues.

Backup cameras cannot help with rear-view visibility when driving forward.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Seriously? I don't know what this is, but from its retro design, this thing clearly has the most horrible rear visibility, for one thing. And for another, folding headlights are unanimously a bad-design idea, which caused 100 times more problems than it solved, with myriad of technical problems.

Try fitting an American in it.

 

[captaincranky]

Backup cameras cannot help with rear-view visibility when driving forward.

Then I'd suggest renaming the damned thing, "the rear view camera ", and put the screen in a place you could see it when driving forward.

Judging by this continued nonsense from you, I take it you've never driven a box truck, or a tractor trailer, or a car towing a closed trailer, or anything else requiring the use of rear view mirrors.

 

[captaincranky]

Try fitting an American in it.

In case you didn't notice, that''s Detroit iron, built in the USA, by Americans, for Americans.

I realize that our food stamp program is working beyond anybody's wildest dreams. That said, those food stamp recipients most likely couldn't afford one anyway.

You're a fairly self involved individual, would you fit in it? If the answer is "yes", that's all you normally would concern yourself with anyway.

 

[Nobina]

There are many classic cars I can think of that would be great to reimagine as electric cars.

 

[3volv3d]

The Avg Amercian has no lust for a car in the first place. This article is hot air. The Only cars Americans want these days are sport cars, otherwise we want Trucks and SUVs.

This is the problem with everything the world over. What we WANT! over what we NEED.
Cheap roads and housing projects and city planning, design over practicality, and profits over quality.
And huge expensive cars you can't park anywhere.
We just need to move on from a 1800's idea in a 21st century world. Seriously while we are seeing computers and technology move forward, our mindsets are clinging to this market of making money selling outdated ideas. A public transport system with the a city designed around its practicality would be a better idea.
And I know people will say we need individual vehicles like in a time of covid to get to and from work, but we should be on a lockdown til it is gone anyway so that points kinda moot.
If you can get the DeLorean to go back in time and slap some muppets who have done nothing but hinder the progress of the human race maybe, but you gonna wear that hand down to a nub.

 

[Freddie159]

This is the problem with everything the world over. What we WANT! over what we NEED.
Cheap roads and housing projects and city planning, design over practicality, and profits over quality.
And huge expensive cars you can't park anywhere.
We just need to move on from a 1800's idea in a 21st century world. Seriously while we are seeing computers and technology move forward, our mindsets are clinging to this market of making money selling outdated ideas. A public transport system with the a city designed around its practicality would be a better idea.
And I know people will say we need individual vehicles like in a time of covid to get to and from work, but we should be on a lockdown til it is gone anyway so that points kinda moot.
If you can get the DeLorean to go back in time and slap some muppets who have done nothing but hinder the progress of the human race maybe, but you gonna wear that hand down to a nub.

Your comment is based on the individual being the one in the wrong here and that's wrong, the individual moved to the suburbs because the big cities, where the jobs are, got too sketchy and/or expensive a place to live. By moving to the suburbs where there is little planning for any public transit options besides cars, there is/was ALOT of room so everything is spread out making public transit an after thought at best. That means people had to return to their individual cars, trucks, suvs, whatevers to get around. Then you throw in the two income family and everyone is going in different directions to get to work, the store, the Dr etc etc. In the 80's and 90's there was little to no thinking of any mass tele-working so you either went to work or you stayed home and maybe didn't get paid. The cities then got worse and worse as far as infrastructure and amenities as their income dropped and as they consolidated things got even worse. Then as the crime grew and money was diverted to more and more police to try and control it things got even worse, they were putting butts on the street to control the increasing crime levels not people who had an interest in things getting better. Then most of the remaining people who could left the cities and the suburbs got more and more congested so some people moved even further away from the cities. All this leads to cars are not going away anytime soon no matter how much 'forward thinking people' want them too. There needs to be ALOT of changes before cars, trucks and suvs are in the junkyards more than they are on the streets of the World. And saying everyone can just telework is being disingenuous as Dr's, nurses, police officers, fireman, trash people and the people who repair all the stuff all those people depend on all must go into the cities to do their jobs so the rest of us can do ours and they need transportation to do it. AND if all the white collar workers are teleworking who's going to pay for the 'public transit' system that runs to the cities to keep working so all those people don't need to own vehicles.

 

[VitalyT]

Then I'd suggest renaming the damned thing, "the rear view camera ", and put the screen in a place you could see it when driving forward.

Judging by this continued nonsense from you, I take it you've never driven a box truck, or a tractor trailer, or a car towing a closed trailer, or anything else requiring the use of rear view mirrors.

You are the one suggested turning an old coffin into an electrical car, and I am the one posting nonsense? It might be some unicorn to you, but all I see is ancient design flawed in the every way - poor visibility, aerodynamics, and someone odd aesthetics all around.

I can understand when people make a good pick of something that deserves becoming electrical, like Alfa Romeo Giulia GT:

That car is a beauty to behold, even today, still with excellent visibility, aerodynamics, remarkable racing pedigree, and timeless interior.

But your example is pure monstrosity, best left for dead, in the past.

 

[jelabarre59]

Quite bluntly, if anything was to be released, it should be this:

Except there isn't a warehouse full of leftover '63 Corvette bodies and parts like there is for the DeLorean. That's what they're probably looking to do for the DMC bodies.

But kudos for picking the *ONLY* decent-looking Corvette.

 

[DZillaXx]

Your hellcat sure, but tesla isn't running the salt flats, a tesla can't compete with a built engine, your hellcat while nice can gain another 3-400 hp for 5k in parts and still be street legal hell you can get parts that give it hp and torque numbers tesla can only dream of, same goes for a v6. You also get the advantage of being able to drive it cross country without having to wait 4 hours every fill-up. In an endurance race EVs can't compete, and their longevity and reliability is still unproven, when you can run the same engine 30 years later then it might be able to say it's long term viable. I've seen a 62 Ford F100 parked for 30 years start up after a simple carb rebuild and fresh oil. EVs aren't their yet.

I've seen plenty of 30yo+ 100-250hp 3p motors in grain elevators still going strong. With near daily use. You won't find combustion engines with that kind of life. Electric motors will run circles around a combustion engine in terms of long life.

Tesla isn't building cars purely for performance.

I'm sorry but Electric motors power our daily lives. You are clearly delusional if you think Electric motors have worse reliability. An electric electric motor will easily do a million miles. Including the ones in Tesla's. The motors in most tesla's will outlive most of vehicles they are in. I'd worry more about the battery TBH.

 

[VEGGIM]

But will it be enjoyable, most consider electric cars as soulless, no fun, oversized go karts. This is because of the feeling of hearing a genuine exhaust sound. feeling the way it drives through the transmission, and other stuff like that. Some cars don't use fake engine sound today. Also say goodbye to tuning cars. You can't do that with electric, because everything is software base. Because of this mechanics wont be needed.

 

[captaincranky]

You are the one suggested turning an old coffin into an electrical car, and I am the one posting nonsense? It might be some unicorn to you, but all I see is ancient design flawed in the every way - poor visibility, aerodynamics, and someone odd aesthetics all around.

No, I didn't say anything about it being re-released as an electric. I'd like it just the way it was, 327 cid V8, 365 HP w/ 2 4 barrel carbs.

I can understand when people make a good pick of something that deserves becoming electrical, like Alfa Romeo Giulia GT: [/quote] Sorry, I don't come close to seeing the same aesthetic value as you in that Alfa. It just looks like a run of the mill, borderline ugly, mid size 2 door sedan to me.

But your example is pure monstrosity, best left for dead, in the past.

You're just such an amazing forward thinker, (or so you think). You definition of "monstrosity", is my idea of perfection. You idea of "grace in beauty", strikes me as mundane and quite ordinary.

BTW, I don't have a '63 Vette, or a wind tunnel, but I don't think that Corvette would fare all that badly

Now let's practice driving. The safest practice is to use your rear view mirrors to see what's behind you, instead of rotating your head 180 degrees to look out the rear windshield while you're driving 70 mph down the freeway.