SAVAGE RIVALE

Coastrunner EV: an attractive electrified buggy

Electric cars will have a wide range of bodies and models adapted to every budget. But also special creations for zero-emission fun. The recent Meyers Manx Buggy, which is ready to return to the market completely transformed from a technical point of view, has just received a new competitor that arrives at the hands of Savage Rivale.

It is the Coastrunner EV and it is an attractive buggy, although it is still in an experimental phase as a development prototype since it was conceived from a blank sheet in the European summer of 2017. Created in the Netherlands, it is based on an architecture aluminum space frame on which the mechanical components are mounted, and an extremely light composite material body.

The thin LED headlights stand out at the top and bottom of the front, practically the most notable detail of this buggy together with the 215 millimeters of ground clearance that it counts on to develop with agility off the asphalt. A very simple style that also translates to a cabin, where there are no doors. The instrument panel is a small digital screen, it has a multifunctional steering wheel with a sporty design and the roof with a stretched canvas that can be dismantled.

Even the cabin floor is made of composite materials and is washable. The manufacturer will offer very interesting extras such as a roof rack for surfboards and a refrigerator housed under the front hood with a capacity of 60 liters, as the electric motor is located at the rear. It develops a maximum power of 50 kW - equivalent to 68 hp - and is powered by two battery packs with a capacity of 20 kWh placed between the axles, fully rechargeable in 30 minutes.

The manufacturer advertises a weight of 800 kilos and can reach a top speed of 120 km/h, with a maximum range of 180 kilometers. The only big downside to having fun in style will be the price of this 'toy' which, given the qualities it offers, won't be cheap, but it's worth thinking about. With the production phase already started, the manufacturer has already sold 6 of the 20 units it plans to manufacture initially.

Autonews