McLaren’s CEO Michael Leiters says there will not be full-electric supercars for several years as it will take time to develop the right technology to make batteries lighter.
“Weight is super important, you need also the right range,” Leiters said in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Thursday.
“I don’t expect this technology to be ready for real supercars before the end of the decade.”
Speaking from McLaren’s new showroom in Dubai, Leiters said the automaker could not have a heavy car as they are not nimble and make the driver feel disconnected. “Weight is at the core of our brand,” he said.
“We do not want to do an electric car which weighs two tons and then has 2,000 horsepower,” Leiters said, adding that the weight would need to come down to the level of today’s models, in the 1,500-kilogram (3,300-pound) range.
Still, automakers around the world are rapidly shifting toward electric, zero-emission vehicles, and sports-car brands are starting to follow suit.
Leiters said he was open to the idea of an SUV and that McLaren is focused on plug-hybrids, as internal combustion engines become more niche.
McLaren’s global sales in the first half of 2023 grew 52 percent from the same period last year to 1,292 units.
Demand was strongest in North America, Europe and Asia. The Middle East accounts for about 2 percent of the company’s worldwide sales volume, but the area has big potential and a huge customer base, Leiters said.
