- The Ariel E-Nomad concept/prototype shows the low-volume manufacturer's production intent for a future electric variant.
- It has up to 150 miles of range, it can DC fast charge and even though it has a heavy battery pack, it's still very light compared to regular cars.
- Ariel will continue testing this model and evaluate production plans based on feedback.
The Ariel Nomad is the ideal vehicle for a fun, spirited drive down a back road, regardless if it’s paved or not. Soon you may be able to silently slide the Nomad around corners with the upcoming electric version previewed by the E-Nomad concept. In place of the usual high-revving Honda-sourced engine that usually powers these cars, Ariel has equipped this prototype with a punchy electric motor and a good-size battery.
Because it has to carry around a heavy battery pack, the Ariel Nomad EV weighs about 400 pounds more than the combustion version, but it’s still reasonably light at 1,975 lbs. The main culprit for the weight gain is a 41-kilowatt-hour battery pack weighing 660 lbs. The manufacturer says it provides a range of up to 150 miles.
DC fast charging from 20 to 80% takes 25 minutes, but the peak charging power is not specified.
It powers a single 282-horsepower electric motor mounted on the rear axle with a peak torque rating of 361 pound-feet. That’s considerably more than the original Nomad, whose 2.4-liter non-turbo Honda K24 engine makes 235 hp and 221 lb-ft. The Nomad R supercharged version is still the most powerful and quickest variant, with 335 hp and a 0 to 60 mph acceleration time of 2.9 seconds. Newer Nomad variants are powered by a turbocharged engine out of a Ford Focus ST.
The E-Nomad is not far off, with the sprint to 60 mph happening in 3.4 seconds. It has a single-speed transmission, which eliminates the fun of rowing through the combustion variants’ slick-shifting six-speed transmissions, but it keeps the limited-slip differential, so you should have no problem getting it sideways and holding the slide.
Gallery: Ariel E-Nomad concept
The drive unit comprises a motor made by BorgWarner, a gearbox and an inverter, which weigh just over 200 lbs together. The motor and battery pack have separate cooling circuits and the battery can also be warmed by the onboard 5 kW heater.
Ariel says the E-Nomad features a new-design composite body with panels made from an experimental flax fiber-based material. The body may make the E-Nomad look a bit strange, almost like some sort of amphibian with more of its tube frame chassis hidden compared to the regular model, but it helps cut drag by 30%.
According to Simon Saunders, Ariel Director, “While the E-Nomad is a concept, it does show production intent for the vehicle and hints at just a small part of Ariel’s future. Once it has been through our usual, gruelling testing regime we could opt to add E-Nomad alongside its ICE Nomad 2 sibling."
There are no concrete plans to put this version of the Nomad into production, but Ariel says it will be testing the vehicle “to explore the full spectrum of potential future applications.”
