Morgan XP-1 prototype unveiled as test bed for electric technology

In 2020, we reported that England-based Morgan had canned the electric 3-Wheeler but pledged to continue developing battery technology for future models. One of these has been unveiled as a concept: called XP-1, it’s an experimental battery-powered version of the Super 3.

Presented as “the forerunner to all future electric Morgan sports cars,” the XP-1 was built as a rolling laboratory of technology. It’s shaped just like the Super 3, meaning it blurs the line separating cars and motorcycles with two front wheels and a lone rear wheel, but it features a powertrain-specific front end that’s relatively smooth in order to maximize driving range. The changes lower the drag coefficient by 33%.

Interestingly, the XP-1 receives the first drivetrain that Morgan has developed on its own. Its current and previous cars have all used engines sourced from other carmakers; the Super 3 is powered by a Ford-sourced 1.5-liter three-cylinder, for example. While official specifications haven’t been released, British magazine Autocar learned power comes from a 134-horsepower electric motor installed in the transmission tunnel. The motor draws juice from a 33-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that stores enough electricity for about 150 miles of range.

Going electric makes the XP-1 around 130 pounds heavier than the Super 3. It tips the scale at about 1,550 pounds, according to Autocar.

There’s not much to the interior — simplicity stands out as one of the Super 3’s claims to fame — but Morgan fitted the XP-1 with a full digital instrument cluster to replace the standard car’s split, twin-gauge setup. An electric parking brake appears for the first time, too.