New Ariel E-Nomad Concept Is A Wild Lightweight EV Rally Raid Machine!

Debuting this week is the wild Ariel E-Nomad Concept lightweight all-road EV sportscar.

Renowned Somerset, UK-rooted low-volume lightweight sportscar makers Ariel debuted its very latest creation this week called the E-Nomad Concept. Aptly, this is an all-electric redux of the firm’s famed Nomad lightweight off-road sportscar.

The ‘Concept’ bit in its naming means that this is still a mere prototype, but it is set to pave the way for light, all-roads EVs using advanced tech. Set to debut publicly on Sept 4, Ariel adds that it plans to start producing and marketing it from 2026 onwards.

The E-Nomad Concept is based on Ariel's existing Nomad 2 all-terrain lightweight sportscar, borrowing the latter's underpinnings and layout.

The E-Nomad Concept was borne out of a tri-partite project called ZELV (Zero-Emissions Lightweight Vehicle). Partners include UK-based firms Rockfort Engineering and BAMD Composites. The project was even boosted by a GBP300,000 Advanced Propulsion Centre grant awarded by the UK government. 

Underneath, the E-Nomad Concept underpins the same steel spaceframe chassis and all-independent suspension setup from the combustion (ICE)-powered Nomad, along with its rear-wheel-drive layout.

The novel battery is mounted behind the driver and passenger bulkhead, and it juices a rear e-motor outputting 281 HP and 489 NM.

Powering the E-Nomad Concept is a BorgWarner-sourced water-cooled single-drive e-motor that weighs just 92 KG and outputs 281 HP and 489 NM. It is juiced by 12 Pegasus V3 modules that form an advanced lithium-ion battery pack mounted behind the driver and passenger bulkhead.

No charging rates were revealed but Ariel says the battery can be fast-charged from 20-80% in just 25 minutes. 

In terms of range and charging, Ariel says the battery can be fast-charged from 10-80% in 25 minutes, whilst a full charge ought to grant up to 150 miles (241 KM) of travel.

Developed by Rockfort, it also boasts a tunable control software and, besides claims of said battery pack setting new standards for energy density, the whole assembly weighs less than 300 KG. Altogether, the E-Nomad Concept weighs just 896 KG too.

Adding to the lightness to are the lightweight exterior panels constructed out of bio-composite nature fibres that are said to offer a 73% reduction in CO2 through its manufacturing versus carbon fibre. Even the tooling is more sustainable with Ariel touting a 50% CO2 reduction versus conventional moulding methods.

Weight is kept low thanks to the bio-composite nature fibres used to make the exterior panels (left) and the spaceframe chassis construction (right).

Ariel touts the E-Nomad Concept in being able to sprint from 0-96 KM/H in just 3.5 seconds and hit a V-max of 185 KM/H.

Said lightweight figures matched with the peppy outputs noted explains the E-Nomad Concept’s claimed ability to despatch 0-60 MPH (96 KM/H) sprints in just 3.5 seconds and hit a claimed V-max of 185 KM/H plus a rather modest claimed range of 150 miles (241 KM).

Additionally, the adoption of an e-motor sees the E-Nomad Concept get primed with both regenerative braking and anti-lock brakes (ABS) – the latter marking a first for any Ariel creation. The firm also added selectable drive modes, a limited-slip diff, as well as a parking lock.

Untypical of Ariel, the E-Nomad offers ABS, regenerative braking, selectable drive modes, and a parking lock.

With the E-Nomad Concept, brand CEO Simon Saunders also expressed his firm belief that low-volume carmakers such as Ariel itself “must embrace the electric future or risk being left behind.”

“Once it has been through our usual, gruelling testing regime we could opt to add E-Nomad alongside its ICE Nomad 2 sibling,” Saunders added.