From Hennessey they want to launch the most extravagant and unique electric car in the world. During the past month of December the first sketches and information about it came to light; now, during the celebration of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Autocar has been able to interview John Hennessey, head of the company, who has given new estimates on its launch, as well as the mechanics that this future six-wheel electric hyper-GT will have.
The model is known by the nickname of Project Deep Space and, for the moment, there are still no official images beyond the previously revealed sketches. In the drawing you can clearly see the enormous length that the vehicle will reach, since from the company expect to reach and even exceed six metersenough to be able to integrate the six wheels in a configuration of one axle in front of the passenger compartment and two other axles behind.
The person in charge of the company stated that they are already working on the development of this electric GT in order to be produced in a limited series from the year 2026. “Its production will not exceed around 100 or 105 units, and its price will be about 3 million dollars,” said the manager who also confirmed that within 48 months a first conceptual model will be presented that will advance the design line which will present the production car.
John Hennessey assured during his interview that he has been wanting to fully enter the electric vehicle market for years, however the weight of current batteries is what did not quite convince him. This was seen as a real problem in order to provide a vehicle with performance appropriate to the canons of the brand. “In terms of a proper sports car or hypercar, it can’t weigh more than 5,000 pounds,” he said. After years of brainstorming and waiting for the advent of lighter battery technology, two and a half years ago he thought about what if weight wasn’t an issue. From there were born the first sketches and projects on what is now beginning to be uncovered as Project Deep Space.
The electric GT will feature an electric motor located in each of the six wheels. As confirmed by the manager who also considered the possibility that the model was “more normal” and had four wheels, but then he thought that six wheels with an electric motor inserted in each of them would be even better.
From Hennessey they have not confirmed the final power figure, but they did talk about their intention that each of the aforementioned electric motors had about 400 CV. This leads directly to a total power of 2,400 hp.. Companies such as Pennzoil and Delta are being responsible for the development of the model’s electric propulsion system. In addition to this enormous number of power, from Hennessey they also point to an electric range of more than 1,000 kilometers with a single charge.
However, this will not be a car focused on performance, but rather on the luxury and comfort of its occupants. It can accommodate four people in a 1+2+1 arrangement. The driver will sit in the center of the cabin while the two occupants of the second row will flank him. Finally, the third and last seat will be located behind the driver and between the two occupants of the second row.
According to the company, the third row will be reserved for the most important person, as it will be the one that enjoys the most space and comfort. “The back seat is basically a seat you would have on a pure luxury Gulfstream jet.” The third passenger will be able to stretch their legs and recline their seat.
Once the brand shows the first prototype of this in 2024, it hopes to have sufficient reasons from the public so that the changes with respect to the production model are not more than 5%. From Hennessey they compare this future electric hyper-GT as the modern equivalent of the Bugatti Royale in terms of specifications, features and interior luxury.
