Launch of electric Austin

[Ray White]

My Dad once told me about his friend's electric car that they had during WW2. Pool petrol was both dirty and in short supply so they they hit on the idea of converting an old Opel to run on a big electric motor. There were umpteen lead/acid batteries instead of a back seat/boot so it would have had very light steering! Apparently it went pretty well!

Unfortunately, no one thought to take a photo.

[Andy Bennett]

The Arrow has been around for a while now. It was a few years ago that it first featured here. If I recall it was a single seater, but now looks to be OK for 2 small people.
I can understand the marketing position to try to attach it to the legacy of the Austin 7 rather than it just being a fun electric go-cart competing with the Atom or Morgan 3 wheeler. In reality exactly what was done with the first mini and let's face it, it has worked.

It does no harm to our Austin 7s. Aside of any debate re electric cars it is a nice throwback to the days when the UK was covered in small companies making cars. More power to the man.

[Stephencrisp360]

Controversially.. I really like it. I have often dreamed of a fresh new build austin seven. Nissan came close with the Figaro..  This to me looks like a nice run about...

[Peter Butler]

Hi!

I am intrigued - why was the brand name "Austin" available so recently, and was a purchase of it ever even thought about by genuine enthusiasts?

As ever,

Peter

[Peter Naulls]

Does anyone know why it's left hand drive? Surely the Austin Seven brand has a limited appeal abroad.

[Andy Bennett]

Peter B: I would suggest that using it to build cars is the sign of a genuine enthusuast, as apose to it being bought by a speculator or used for something unrelated?
Peter N: some pics show left and some right, so presumably order to your geographic preference.

And just to add that whilst I wouldn't want one myself, there is the air of a 'special' builder mentality about the man and who doesn't want that in the UK manufacturing sector. Surely we need every entrepreneur we have.

[Colin Morgan]

It did occur to me to wonder if the 'Austin' name might be available after 2005, given it was owned by the Chinese and likely to be of little use to them.  But I assumed it would be too expensive for an individual to purchase on a whim. 

As to what might have been done with it - perhaps a company who manufactures in the UK, like Ford or Nissan, would have been interested in producing something in the spirit of the first Austin Seven? - simple, well engineered, small and reliable (and these days more likely a hybrid than pure EV?) - and using the Austin name again. 

All a pipe dream.

[Andy Bennett]

Colin, the problem these days of course is that any name must survive a global language test and of course not sound old fashioned. These days car names seem to be produced by a random letter generator. I guess those that use numbers thank their historic marketing teams, BMW must be so happy that they just have to add a number or letter.

[Colin Morgan]

Well, 'aus tin' means 'made of tin' in German, which isn't ideal for a car manufacturer?

It also means 'You are welcome' in Corsican, and no doubt many other things in many other languages.

However, the meaning and associations here are clear and wholesome?

[Bluebird7]

I once asked John Stubbs who his target buyer were, and he himself did not actually know, so why bother really .