Skip to main content

When the sun is shining, the experimental EVX Immortus has an infinite driving range

EVX Immortus
Motoring
An Australian startup named EVX is looking to end range anxiety once and for all by developing a science fiction-esque electric coupe called Immortus that’s fitted with 75 square-feet’s worth of solar panels on the roof, the trunk lid, and the hood.

The solar panels generate enough electricity to continuously keep the battery pack topped-up if the driver holds a steady speed of approximately 40 mph. Of course, infinite range only works if the sun is out, meaning Seattle residents, Scottish nationals, and those who live in an area where the word “monsoon” is often heard during the weather report will still need to plug the coupe in. Similarly, overnight road trips are out of the question.

When range isn’t an issue, the two in-wheel electric motors create enough juice to send the Immortus from zero to 62 mph in less than seven seconds and on to a top speed of over 93 mph. The solar panels can charge the battery pack while the coupe is parked in the sun, and it can drive for nearly 350 miles between fill-ups at speeds above 40 mph.

Highly aerodynamic, the Immortus tips the scale at just over 1,200 pounds thanks in part to a state-of-the-art chassis made out of high-strength carbon fiber tubes. Some of the components used to build it can be 3D-printed, a manufacturing technique that promises to keep assembly costs in check.

Of course, all of the aforementioned specs are purely hypothetical because a fully functional prototype hasn’t been built yet. A scale model of the Immortus will be shown in November at the SEMA show that will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, and a functional, life-sized and street-legal prototype is tentatively scheduled to hit the Australian tarmac by the end of next year.  Thanks to its low weight, its instant torque, and its low center of gravity, the Immortus is expected to drive like a rear-wheel drive sports car.

If everything goes according to plan, the Immortus won’t remain a simple design study for long. EVX isn’t interested in taking on the next Tesla Roadster — at least not yet — but it plans on building less than 100 examples of the coupe and selling each one for the lofty sum of roughly $365,000.

Before it can reach its ambitious goal, the startup needs to raise nearly $1.5 million in order to fine-tune the technology.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
The Apple Car was reportedly dubbed ‘the Bread Loaf’
A man checks his phone in an Apple retail store in Grand Central Terminal.

A 2020 prototype of the so-called "Apple Car" was dubbed "the Bread Loaf" for its looks, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.

In a deep dive into the costly project, which Apple canceled last month, the report described the vehicle as “a white minivan with rounded sides, an all-glass roof, sliding doors, and whitewall tires [that] was designed to comfortably seat four people and inspired by the classic flower-power Volkswagen microbus.”

Read more
The Rivian R2 SUV is up for preorder for only $45,000
Rivian R2

You can now get a Rivian without spending more than $70,000. After months of rumors and leaks, Rivian has finally taken the wraps off of the Rivian R2, its newest SUV, and the first to be built on the new Rivian R2 platform. The R2 is built to be Rivian's "Model 3 moment," or its attempt to build a car that's more accessible to the general public and thus could be sold at a much higher volume than the R1S or R1T ever were.

The R2 certainly cuts some corners to achieve the lower price point, but it actually still has a lot going for it -- especially as an electric SUV in this price range. It goes up against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mustang Mach-E, and Kia EV6, but it's much more of an SUV than a crossover-sized car and should appeal to those who want something larger and with Rivian's design sensibility.

Read more
The R3 is Rivian’s surprise electric crossover
Rivian R3

Rivian didn't just announce the R2 platform at its latest launch event -- in a surprise twist, it also announced the R3 crossover. The R3 is Rivian's smallest car yet, offering a size much closer to the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 than the SUVs that came before it.

Of course, not only is the Rivian R3 smaller, but presumably, it's also cheaper. Rivian didn't reveal actual pricing for the car, but it did say that it would be less than the R2's $45,000 price. Also, it may be some time before we start seeing the R3 on the road -- the car will follow the R2, which isn't set to be available until the first half of 2026.

Read more