Well-over 1000kms between fill-ups, too.
The Gumpert RG Nathalie might not be one of those cars that pop to mind if you’re cashed up and looking to splurge on a stupidly-fast sports car. However, if you’re a maze farmer, you might be a little more interested.
The Nathalie is the result of more tie-ups than most humanitarian missions, putting together German engineer (and former Audi Sport director) Rupert Gumpert, Chinese technology startup AIWAYS, and Danish engineering firm Serenergy. As a result, the Nathalie is the first-ever electric car that uses methanol as the fuel to recharge its batteries.
It’s broadly similar to the approach taken with hydrogen fuel-cell technology, except instead of hydrogen, it uses methanol. The electricity generated as a result of the methanol conversion then drives an electric engine, and according to Gumpert, the Nathalie can go up to 1,200km between methanol fill-ups (especially when methanol isn’t as widely available as some other fuels, particularly in Europe).
Interestingly, the Gumpert RG Nathalie isn’t a concept car. In fact, the Nathalie will face a very limited 500-unit production run, with deliveries expected to begin in 2019. Prices for the car were not disclosed, but at least the company behind the Nathalie were honest enough to say that taking her home “will be expensive.”
Stay tuned to CarShowroom as we bring you more updates as they come.
