TVR to sponsor Formula E – and build EVs

Will we ever hear the signature TVR V8 bellow again, asks Nigel Boothman?

Surprise news on. The future of TVR broke in late Spring when the firm announced sponsorship of Formula E events: the Monaco E-Prix that happened on April 30th and the two London E-Prix races on July 30th & 31st. The announcement was coordinated with news of TVR’s plans for an all-electric Griffith.

TVR Griffith has yet to make production

Company chairman Les Edgar said the sponsorships ‘not only demonstrate our commitment to revolutionizing the TVR brand, but to EV, and becoming a sustainable, net-zero business’.

He went on to confirm that the company is progressing plans to bring Griffith EVs to market. More than five years have now passed since the debut of the Ford V8-powered Griffith, pictured, and the first production models have yet to emerge. Delays in establishing a production site mean the company has yet to move into its new factory near Cardiff, nor to begin fitting it out, which makes the promised arrival of the pure-electric Griffith variant in 2024 seem a little ambitious.

A recent deal announced between TVR and a South African mining and processing company called Ensorcia should help to guarantee a supply of lithium for battery production, which is vital in an increasingly competitive market. Interestingly, the publicity material emphasised the techniques used as ‘green lithium mining…with maximum environmental and operational efficiency’. More and more vehicle manufacturers are feeling the pressure to claim a sustainable origin for the raw materials used in their batteries, so expect to see statement-of-origin labelling not unlike what’s used on food products.

For TVR fans, the new focus on electric powertrains brings mixed feelings. On one hand, it’s a healthy sign the firm is spending money on high-profile sponsorship and putting energy into partnerships for the future, but on the other it’s sad that the new factory may finally start producing cars just as that great TVR bellow of V8 engine noise fades away. As the fi rm said of its partnership with the race series, ‘This marks a turning point in the strategic direction of the iconic British high performance sports car manufacturer as they accelerate their plans to electrify the brand’.