However, while McLaren is investigating electric cars, it is doing so without customer demand for them yet, as Leiters revealed when asked if any McLaren owners had asked for an EV. “No, but we have to be careful,” he said. “Times are changing and we have to prepare for new times. The success of the 750S shows our customers love ICE cars, but maybe there are other customers and they’re interested in other stuff.”
More broadly, he welcomed the EU’s proposal to allow cars powered by e-fuels to stay on sale as he doubts there is one technology to cover all use cases.
“For a use case like we have, low volume and low mileage, you have to invest so much in the emissions in the production of an electric vehicle. How can we recover that in our lifecycle? It doesn’t make sense, right? So I think it’s very important to always consider the environment and the circumstances in which you are making decisions.”
New McLaren V8 hybrid in the works
McLaren has revealed plans to introduce a new line of V8 hybrid sports cars before launching any pure-electric models.
The marque announced earlier this year that it had renewed its partnership with Sussex-based engine supplier Ricardo to build a new-generation V8 engine to form the basis for an electrified drivetrain that will feature in “lightweight, high-performance hybrid supercars”.