Three wheeled electric cars

The £15,000 three-wheeled electric car that can go faster than a Porsche

A car manufacturer has announced it is on the verge of creating a three-wheeled electric sports car that can travel faster than a Porsche. The enviromentally friendly ZAP Alias will cost £15,000 and does 0 to 60mph in just 5.7 seconds with a top speed of 156mph

The futuristic-looking two-seater is being developed with the help of British car company Lotus.

It should go on sale next year, though speculation is rife that the launch of the vehicle will be delayed.

It is powered by two electric wheel motors, one driving each of the car’s front wheels.

Unlike a Reliant Robin, the single wheel is at the back. Together the Alias’s motors generate an impressive 321.85 horse power - as much as a Porsche 911 Carrera, which costs £60,000.

A spokesman for ZAP described the Alias as “a new kind of car, a new kind of experience”. He said: “The ZAP Alias is unlike anything ever seen or driven on the planet. The Alias will redefine driving like no other vehicle in history.”

ZAP chief executive Steve Schneider said: “Everyone who has seen the Alias says they want to buy one.

We have worked with Lotus Engineering during the initial phase of the development project and shall again be looking forward to their support.”

ZAP, which is based in California, has a dealer network with 50 locations across the United States selling its current vehicles, the Xebra and Zapino.

ZAP, standing for zero air pollution, has been a leader in advanced transportation technologies since 1994, delivering over 100,000 vehicles to more than 75 countries.

It is at the forefront of fuel-efficient technologies including hydrogen, electric and other innovative power systems.