The hand-built Carice MK1 blends nostalgic style with modern electric tech

By Andrew Hard Published June 23, 2014

You don’t need to spend a fortune to ride in style.

Dutch automaker Carice Cars has just introduced its first vehicle: the handmade, all electric MK1. It’s about the size of an MX-5, weighs just 771 pounds, and costs just over $36,000.

For the money, you get a retro interior, a fully electric powertrain, and that’s about it. But the MK1 is not necessarily about gadgets or technology: it’s about craftsmanship.

Each MK1 is hand built in a small warehouse in Holland, and in this writer’s opinion, looks absolutely gorgeous.

The Dutch roadster is a bit of a tribute to the luxury sports cars of old, such as the Porsche 356 from which it is based. Like the 356, the MK1 has large, bug-eyed headlights and curvaceous, smooth body. Inside, both have analog gauges, stylish bucket seats, and a clean, analog dashboard. Once you look a little deeper, though, the differences start to become more apparent.

For one, the MK1 uses a backbone chassis, which is basically a single, thick bar running the entire length of the vehicle to provide rigidity and save weight.

Carice Cars MK1 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

More importantly, however, is the powertrain. The MK1 is completely electric, gathering energy from a lithium-ion battery pack integrated directly into the chassis. This allows for perfect 50:50 weight distribution, although performance isn’t really the MK1’s specialty.

Buyers have a choice of three trim levels: one with 20 horsepower, one with 54, and a “junior version” with just five horses. That may not sound like a lot, but because of the MK1’s plastic body (yes, you read that right), it only has 771 pounds to lug around.

For customers who want a little more driving time, Carice offers a small, gas-powered “range extender” for an extra boost. Carice is even planning a hydrogen-powered MK1 in the coming months.

With its three-spoke wooden steering wheel, red bucket seats, and spherical body, the MK1 is a nostalgic homage to old school craftsmanship but with modern ingredients. The only thing that’s missing is the soundtrack of a burbly inline, but if you’re one of the 10 lucky customers planned so far, you’ll have to do with the roar of the tires and the wind in your hair.

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Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…

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