McLaren’s EV has to deliver ‘epic’ performance, says boss

McLaren is working on developing an electric car that will be the ‘absolute’ best in class, its chief technical officer has said.

Charles Sanderson was McLaren’s head of software development before he moved across to American electric vehicle creator Rivian. However, he has now returned to the Woking-based firm as its new CTO, where he’s working as a driving force behind its technological push over the coming years.

McLaren has yet to introduce a fully electric vehicle and so far has relied on either turbocharged or electric assistance for its performance models. Its new Artura, for example, combines a twin-turbocharged V6 engine with a compact electric motor and battery.

But as the industry moves towards greater electrification and the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, McLaren is looking to create an EV that will deliver ‘epic’ performance.

Sanderson said that the new model has to ‘ideally’ be ‘the absolute best in its class’ and ‘extremely fun to drive’. ‘It’s got to be lightweight,’ he added.

“From that point of view, the benchmark is that it’s got to be better than and more engaging to drive than an ICE (internal combustion engined) supercar today.”

Sanderson also told the PA news agency that the new electric vehicle would deliver “the range that our drivers would expect an ICE McLaren does. So if you go to a track, you need to be able to complete the number of laps that we would expect a supercar [to do] today.”

He also said that ‘at least’ in five years’ time, 90 per cent of the firm’’s cars would feature a hybrid powertrain.