As part of Peugeot’s 200th Anniversary Celebrations their design center at Vélizy in the South Western suburbs of Paris created the electrically powered EX1 Concept in time for a public debut at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.

The water droplet shaped carbon composite monococque chassis is optimised for weight and rigidity, the whole vehicle weighs less than 1,000 kgs / 2205 lbs.

Two electric motors, one for each axle, combine to produce 340hp, enough to turn the EX1 into a record breaker for vehicles weighing less than 1000 kgs.

The complete car measures 0.99 meters / 3′ 4″ high by 1.7 meters / 5′ 8″ wide.

In September 2010 the EX1 was taken to Linas-Montlhery autodrome just south of Paris where Nicolas Vanier set six records in one afternoon.

They were 0-60mph in 3.55sec, 1/8 mile 8.89sec, 1/4 mile in 14.4sec, standing kilometre in 28.16sec, standing mile in 41.09sec and overall top speed of 161mph.

Chinese blogger and competition driver Han Han drove the EX1 at Taipingsi military airport in Chengdu, China three months later where he lowered the 1/8 and 1/4 mile records to 7.08.62sec and 12.67.54sec respectively.

Nicolas Vanier also drove the EX1 in China and lowered his 0-62 mph time to 3.49sec and recorded a longitudinal acceleration of 1G over a total sprint of 39 meters.

These electric record breaking achievements indicate Peugeot is well on the way to offering it’s electric vehicle customers of the future with incomparable driving experiences.

Thanks for joining me on this “Electric Sprinter” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be visiting Castle Combe for a spot of preseason testing. Don’t forget to come back now !