Three automotive companies have joined forces to create “a new powerhouse” that will design, engineer and manufacture low-volume electric vehicles. It will be based in Cornwall and West Midlands.

Watt EV Holdings Ltd was formed from the merger of Cornwall’s Watt Electric Vehicle Company and Worcestershire’s Stalcom vehicle architecture company and JSC Automotive, a German-based research and design firm.

These three companies have merged their resources to create one entity that can design and engineer small-volume electric vehicles for commercial and passenger use. This service is for companies that need an EV produced in small quantities. It won’t require them to create a custom platform or build their own manufacturing facilities.

These vehicles will be built on the Passenger and Commercial Electric Skateboard (PACES), which Watt developed. It features laser-cut aluminium components that will be connected using Stalcom’s ‘FlexBond’ system. It is said to be scalable enough to handle everything, from “sports cars” to buses. It can also accommodate twin-motor powertrains. Unnamed suppliers will supply lithium-ion batteries.

Watt already plans to build light commercial EVs in a West Midlands factory. This new facility should produce around 5000 units annually.

Watt, a Cornish company, has been developing an electric Porsche 356-inspired sportscar at Newquay headquarters. First deliveries are expected later in the year. Yes, electric cars have become more complicated when a Cornish-built EV is based on a classic Porsche.

The two-door rear-drive model, which weighs less than 1000 kg, will be powered by the PACES platform. The 40kWh battery is paired with a 120kW motor. It claims a 0-62mph speed of just 5.0 seconds. Watt plans to open a new factory next year in Cornwall, where 500 vehicles can be produced annually.