Ecotricity founder builds wind-powered supercar

Dale Vince, founder of green electricity provider Ecotricity, last October set himself the challenge of building a wind-powered supercar.

Vince, a self-confessed “petrol-head and treehugger” (he acknowledges the contradiction), says he set himself the mission to prove that people can still have fun whilst reducing their carbon footprint.

He set out to create an “out and out sports car” powered on renewable electricity produced by wind turbines.

Vince describes the car he was looking for: “0-60 in four seconds, more than 100mph, brilliant handling, outrageous looks, that kind of stuff, that’s what it’s gonna be”

The car, a heavily modified Lotus Exige, has been retrofitted with an electric engine, and is now near completion.

Vince explains why he’s undertaking the project at a time when major car manufacturers are looking to go electric.

“Since we started the world of EVs has really got fired up and all the big car makers are talking about making them now it seems,” Vince said.

“Good stuff but still it’s just talk.”