New McLaren CEO States That the Company Is Not Rushed to Develop an Electric Vehicle

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      It has been over ten years since McLaren produced its first electrified speedster, the P1, which featured a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 combined with electric motors to generate 903 horsepower back in 2013. One might expect that by 2025, McLaren would have a fully electric model available, especially considering the company's reputation for rapid research and development in advanced technology. However, there is no McLaren EV currently available, and according to the company's new CEO, Nick Collins, there is no rush to create one.

      In an interview with The Drive, Collins discussed various topics, including the spiritual successor to Gordon Murray’s F1 and the potential for supercar production outside the U.K. When asked about the growing trend of electrification—a subject that has become increasingly divisive—he reiterated that the timeline for McLaren's future plans remains uncertain. He had previously indicated that "multi-propulsion" would be part of McLaren’s future but acknowledged that the timeline is very much unclear.

      “Honestly, different parts of the world are evolving at different speeds with varying regulatory demands,” Collins stated. “China is quickly embracing EVs, while the U.S. is lagging behind. Europe and the U.K. are currently in different situations, and it remains to be seen whether those situations will endure. Undoubtedly, internal combustion will continue to play a major role in this brand for quite some time.”

      “Can I see an EV in the future? Yes. Are we rushing to develop one? No.”

      Kristen Lee

      Collins’ predecessor, former McLaren CEO Michael Leiters, mentioned to Car & Driver last summer that the company was working on a fully electric drivetrain. However, there have been no public updates on this endeavor, and McLaren has yet to provide a timeline for the technology's launch. Moreover, recent reports indicate that competitors like Ferrari and Lamborghini have postponed their EV timelines to the end of the decade due to low market demand.

      Before becoming chairman and CEO of McLaren, Collins led a luxury car startup called Forseven, which was integrated into McLaren before producing any vehicles. Although many assumed Forseven's focus was on electric vehicles, the company itself never specified that as its main objective. Consequently, many expected McLaren to quickly shift toward EVs, but that has not transpired.

      “Our initial goal was to establish a new British luxury brand, and that’s exactly what we did—it wasn’t solely about creating a new British EV brand,” Collins explained. “The speculation around Forseven stemmed from the inherent mystique of startups, leading people to fill in the blanks with their own assumptions.”

      McLaren is actively engaging with electrification, even as it continues to incorporate gasoline into its vehicles. The Artura supercar features a twin-turbo V6 and an axial flux electric motor, while the forthcoming W1 halo car will utilize electricity to achieve its 1,275 hp. McLaren is not ignoring modern technology; rather, it recognizes that global regulations are diverging significantly in the coming years.

      At least he’s candid about it.

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