DeLorean Is Coming Back as an EV Sports Car

No flux capacitor in sight, but the DeLorean returns as an EV sports car for the future. The iconic car of the 1980s returns as an EV.

This new version of the DMC-12 includes an all-electric powertrain that we know nothing of right now. Bringing back such an iconic car brings up stories of the history of the brand and how it came to be an icon while experiencing a short production run. After nearly forty years, we get to drive a futuristic time machine.

Back to the Future Wouldn’t be the Same Without it

“Wait a minute. Wait a minute, Doc. Are you telling me that you built a time machine out of a DeLorean?” This famous line uttered by Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, introduced the car that became a main character of the trilogy. Of course, the reply by Dr. Emmett Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd was just as iconic when he said, “The way I see it, if you’re gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?” The popularity of the time machine and the movie franchise show we agree with the Doc.

Of course, by the end of the movies, the time machine ran on biofuel, which could be anything from banana peels to cooking oil. While there are some cars that run on cooking oil today, the futuristic nature of the next version of the DMC-12 is more advanced, from a powertrain standpoint, than the scriptwriters of the movies thought it could be. This new version is coming to our world as an all-electric model, which puts it in the future of driving, something befitting a car that is the most famous time machine in cinema history.

Does DeLorean Motor Company Still Exist?

Strangely, yes, the DeLorean Motor Company does still exist. Although production of the DMC-12 ended many years ago over the troublesome past of the named owner, this company continues to hold its name. You might think when Stephen Wynne acquired the company in 1995, he would change the name, but he never did. The car and the name go hand-in-hand, creating an unbreakable bond further strengthened by the movie franchise. There’s no way the company name is going to be changed after forty years of the world knowing exactly what everyone is talking about when someone mentions the name.

Not only did Wynne buy the name of the company, but he also purchased a stock of original factory parts to build the iconic car. He used original parts to create models of the DMC-12 and expanded manufacturing to build reproduction parts that filled the gaps left. The new version of the storied car is being built in San Antonio, Texas, near the company headquarters location of Humble, Texas.

How did Wynne Build Original Versions of the DMC-12?

The parts he purchased and his production process allowed Wynne to create all-new versions of the coupe from the early 1980s. The question has more to do with the lack of safety features that were required when the original model was made. Using the provisions of the newly passed Low Volume Vehicle Manufacturer’s Act, Wynne got around the safety requirements and could build a limited number of historic replica vehicles. This gave him the permission needed to create several cars and increase revenues since he purchased the company in 1995.

The Only Thing We Know

We don’t know much about what the new DMC model will be or what number it will wear, but we do know it will have those doors. The gullwing doors that made this car famous are part of the plan, along with the stainless steel body, which is another iconic part of this car. The teaser video below doesn’t give away any details; save one. The front of the new model doesn’t have the original DMC badge on it. This area features an illuminated V-shaped logo which draws inspiration from the shape of the doors when opened. This new logo will serve as a standard for the company from now on.

Italdesign Could be Part of the DeLorean Plan

Italdesign, one of the most famous automotive customizing companies in the world, has entered into an official partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering. This is worth mentioning because this partnership focuses on an open-source EV platform for manufacturers of low-volume cars. We don’t know whether or not DMC will produce the new EV sports car versions of the DMC-12 in low enough numbers to qualify as a low-volume company, but it’s entirely possible. Could we see an electric car with safety equipment from the 1980s? It’s possible with this new platform.

Don’t We Get the EV Details?

Unfortunately, the announcement that DeLorean is making the DMC-12 into an EV sports car is so new that no information regarding the powertrain is available. Eventually, we will know the power, driving range, battery size, and battery location, but not yet. This is certainly a purposeful marketing tactic to keep us interested. Anyone who knows the Back to the Future movie franchise’s fans could tell you that this tactic isn’t required to pique our interest in a new DMC-12being offered.

Will the new DeLorean become a car you want to drive? Do you think this car will gain popularity as an EV, or will the electric version be a dud? Until we learn more about the new electric version of this classic car, we won’t know much at all. What we do know is that this car hasn’t been in a full-production mode for 39 years, and although the company is stating in its video “The Future was Never Promised,” we are glad to see this icon back in the news.