American start-up Triton claims 700-mile range for new electric SUV
Electric vehicle start-up companies seem to be appearing with increasing frequency in recent months, particularly in China and the USA, with two more new names added to this growing category in recent weeks alone; Maple in China (part-founded by Volvo and Lotus Cars owner Geely to make low-cost electric family cars), plus Triton Solar in the United States.
The latter of this pair of new car brands, Triton Solar, is an unknown New Jersey-based technology company that has revealed its plans to build an ambitious new all-electric eight-seater SUV. Nothing new in that you might think, except the Triton Model H (as this new electric SUV will be called) promises some extraordinary specifications.
Triton claims that its new Model H will be equipped with a massive 200kWh battery to achieve over 700 miles of range on a single charge; quite an astonishing feat for a large SUV, and putting the electric Tesla Model X’s maximum range of 325 miles firmly in the shade.
The Model H will use four wheel-mounted electric motors to provide all-wheel-drive and a claimed total system output of 1,500PS, enough to propel the 2.4-tonne Triton from 0-60mph in a claimed 2.9 seconds. The large SUV is estimated to have a staggering towing capacity almost 7,000kg (15,400lbs.), complemented by a vast luggage capacity of up to 5,663 litres when all passenger seats are folded flat.
Uniquely, the Triton’s battery pack will feature its own proprietary technology that includes a car-to-home function for powering a house during a power cut. The Model H is said to ride on an air suspension system that automatically adjusts to driving conditions and will feature computer-controlled vent louvers to manage interior cooling.
As Triton has not built an electric vehicle before (its primary existing business focused on energy storage solutions, mainly from solar panels) its ten-year/150,000-mile warranty sounds like a brave added sales incentive for the Model H.
Order books have now been opened, with the first 100 customers receiving a Model H early edition, said to include as-yet-unannounced ‘surprise features’. The initial deposit is $5,000 (around £4,000) with the remaining $135,000 (c. £108,000) being transferred closer to production.
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