Now I’ll be honest, as a general rule of thumb electric cars don’t really excite me. I think it’s a tad tricky to get excited about something which will simply hum away as you speed of in to the distance. Plus you have to battle range anxiety, which for me is no way to reach driving pleasure. The Dendrobium changes things though, as the build-up has certainly piqued my interest. The Singapore hypercar was finally unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show yesterday, but what is it all about?
Making An Entrance
I think it’s safe to say, you’ll make a rather bold entrance if you were to ever turn up anywhere in the Dendrobium. This is because the doors and roof open up automatically to resemble the shape of a Dendrobium flower. This may look fancy and a bit show-offy, but there is a logical reason to this. It enables the driver and passenger easier access in and out of this electric two seater.
Once the doors and roof are open, you’ll be welcomed by an all-black interior, apart from the driver’s seat, which is finished in red. Both the seats feature a rather interesting design which has been inspired by muscle fibres, because why not? These seats are trimmed with leather from Scottish company Bridge of Weir Leather Company, which is able to offer the lowest carbon leather in the world.
Cutting Edge
Once you’re sat in the morally responsible leather seats, you’ll find a a digital display which is flanked by rear-view displays feeding from cameras mounted to the outside of the car. All the buttons are hexagon shaped, a theme that is carried across the design of the car. Design is a big strength of the Dendrobium, which largely thanks to Uk-based Williams Advanced Engineering.
WAE was assigned to develop and design areas such as the aerodynamics, the electric power, lightweight structures, vehicle integration – pretty much everything. The electric power will propel the Dendrobium to a relatively silent 60mph in just 2.7 seconds and the Singapore brand claims the top speed will be in excess of 200mph. This power could be mated to single-speed gearbox if the concept goes in to production.
Hang On, What?
That’s right, this is merely a concept for the time being, with the Geneva Motor Show being used to test the water. However, if there is enough interest and things go to plan, we could see the Vanda Electrics Dendrobium on our roads from 2020.
Larissa Tan, Vanda Electrics CEO said: “Dendrobium is the culmination of a dream. Our design team has had sketches of an electric hypercar on the drawing board since the mid-90s, but that vision was many years ahead of its time. As electric technology has advanced, we have been able to revisit this vision and now, as we launch our revolutionary global e-mobility strategy, the timing is finally right for us to take the wraps off a halo model.
“Dendrobium is our interpretation and expression of what pushes the boundaries in the development of an electric performance car. We have engaged some expert partners to help us achieve this such as Williams Advanced Engineering. With its skills in electrification, aerodynamics, lightweight structures, vehicle dynamics and integration – and even lowvolume build – we could not think of a more appropriate partner.
“We are looking forward to seeing the world’s reaction to Dendrobium. This electric hypercar may just be a concept for now, but we have every intention of putting it into production. It sits at the top of our range and the production version will be a fitting showcase for the best in design and e-technology.”
