Wiesmann’s $320k ‘Project Thunderball’ roadster EV sells out entire first year of production
Boutique luxury sports car maker Wiesmann has announced that the EV roadster representing the marque’s renaissance has already sold out its entire first year of production before it commences in Germany next year. Starting at an MSRP over $320,000, Wiesmann is promising its “Project Thunderball” EV will have ultra-fast charging, acceleration, and power – all packed into a “sticky” and dynamic two-seat configuration.
Wiesmann GmbH is a custom, hand-built automaker that specializes in luxury convertibles and coupes. The company was founded in 1988 by Wiesmann brothers Friedhelm and Martin focused on quality cars that stick to the road – part of the reasoning behind the automaker’s gecko logo.
During its pre-EV era in the early ’90s, Wiesmann delivered a custom “MF” line of models powered by BMW engines and transmissions. By the early 2000s, the automaker was releasing GT versions of the MF series with intentions to export them to the US.
Those plans fell through, however, due to high exchange rates and costs to modify Wiesmann vehicles to become street legal stateside. By 2014, the company had been “temporarily closed” due to the inability to pay its debts. Current CEO Roheen Berry purchased what remained of the boutique marque and Wiesmann was born again during the pandemic.
Eight years felt like a lot more than a “temporary closure,” but Wiesmann returned to the market in mid-2022 with a stylish new roadster EV called “Project Thunderball.” With production scheduled to begin next year, Wiesmann has shared that the first batch scheduled for year one is completely sold out… we’re just trying to figure out how many EVs that actually entails.
Wiesmann’s new EV sold out through 2024, but how many?
Per a release from the reborn German automaker this morning, its order book for the Project Thunderball EVs opened last September and has since been filled. Wiesmann states that production of the roadster EVs will begin in 2024 at its “Gecko” facility in Dülmen, Germany, where, “cutting-edge manufacturing technology and skilled craftsmanship come together to deliver the brand’s unique blend of precision engineering and bespoke coach-building expertise.”
However, one thing that remains unclear is the production capacity Wiesmann’s Gecko facility is capable of, and how many orders a sold out first year of EV production actually entails. We’ve asked the automaker for clarification and are waiting to hear back. Since EV will be hand built, we aren’t expecting massive output numbers, especially in its first year, but it would be nice to know what the automakers target are and how many have been spoken for.
As a relatively boutique marque looking to rebound from previous business follies, Wiesmann 2.0 is asking big bucks for its first EV to the tune of 300,000 euros (~$321k). But if it can deliver the specs its Project Thunderball EV is promising, Wiesmann should make a select group of affluent customers very happy with their purchase.
The two-seat roadster will come equipped with a dual motor RWD configuration, capable of 680 hp, 1,100 Nm (811 lb-ft) of torque, 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 2.9 seconds, and a targeted range of 500 km (311 mi) (WLTP). It will also be capable of 300 kW DC fast charging and offer “near perfect weight distribution.” Wiesmann owner and CEO Roheen Berry spoke to the demand for the upcoming EV:
We are all extremely proud that Project Thunderball – the car which heralds the return of the storied Wiesmann brand – should resonate so strongly with driving enthusiasts from around the world. We knew that combining the timeless design, luxury, and hand-crafted finish that Wiesmann is renowned for, together with a state-of-the-art electric powertrain that delivers exceptional performance, range and charging and our own technology, including the innovative regenerative braking system, would result in a truly captivating and iconic car. To have already sold out the first year of production proves the unique appeal of Project Thunderball and represents a phenomenal start to a Wiesmann’s new, electrified era.
Production and deliveries of Wiesmann’s Project Thunderball EVs are expected to begin in 2024. In the meantime, you can check out the roadster EV prototype in action below.
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If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you combine a fruit cart, a cargo bike, and a Piaggio Ape all in one vehicle, now you’ve got your answer. I submit, for your approval, this week’s feature for the Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week column – and it’s a beautiful doozie.
Feast your eyes on this salad slinging, coleslaw cruising, tuber taxiing produce chariot!
I think this electric vegetable trike might finally scratch the itch long felt by many of my readers. It seems every time I cover an electric trike, even the really cool ones, I always get commenters poo-poo-ing it for having two wheels in the rear instead of two wheels in the front. Well, here you go, folks!
Designed with two front wheels for maximum stability, this trike keeps your cucumbers in check through every corner. Because trust me, you don’t want to hit a pothole and suddenly be juggling peaches like you’re in Cirque du Soleil: Farmers Market Edition.
To avoid the extra cost of designing a linked steering system for a pair of front wheels, the engineers who brought this salad shuttle to life simply side-stepped that complexity altogether by steering the entire fixed front end. I’ve got articulating electric tractors that steer like this, and so if it works for a several-ton work machine, it should work for a couple hundred pounds of cargo bike.
Featuring a giant cargo bed up front with four cascading fruit baskets set up for roadside sales, this cargo bike is something of a blank slate. Sure, you could monetize grandma’s vegetable garden, or you could fill it with your own ideas and concoctions. Our exceedingly talented graphics wizard sees it as the perfect coffee and pastry e-bike for my new startup, The Handlebarista, and I’m not one to argue. Basically, the sky is the limit with a blank slate bike like this!
Sure, the quality doesn’t quite match something like a fancy Tern cargo bike. The rim brakes aren’t exactly confidence-inspiring, but at least there are three of them. And if they should all give out, or just not quite slow you down enough to avoid that quickly approaching brick wall, then at least you’ve got a couple hundred pounds of tomatoes as a tasty crumple zone.
The electrical system does seem a bit underpowered. With a 36V battery and a 250W motor, I don’t know if one-third of a horsepower is enough to haul a full load to the local farmer’s market. But I guess if the weight is a bit much for the little motor, you could always do some snacking along the way. On the other hand, all the pictures seem to show a non-electric version. So if this cart is presumably mobile on pedal power alone, then that extra motor assist, however small, is going to feel like a very welcome guest.
The $950 price is presumably for the electric version, since that’s what’s in the title of the listing, though I wouldn’t get too excited just yet. I’ve bought a LOT of stuff on Alibaba, including many electric vehicles, and the too-good-to-be-true price is always exactly that. In my experience, you can multiply the Alibaba price by 3-4x to get the actual landed price for things like these. Even so, $3,000-$4,000 wouldn’t be a terrible price, considering a lot of electric trikes stateside already cost that much and don’t even come with a quad-set of vegetable baskets on board!
I should also put my normal caveat in here about not actually buying one of these. Please, please don’t try to buy one of these awesome cargo e-trikes. This is a silly, tongue-in-cheek weekend column where I scour the ever-entertaining underbelly of China’s massive e-commerce site Alibaba in search of fun, quirky, and just plain awesomely weird electric vehicles. While I’ve successfully bought several fun things on the platform, I’ve also gotten scammed more than once, so this is not for the timid or the tight-budgeted among us.
That isn’t to say that some of my more stubborn readers haven’t followed in my footsteps before, ignoring my advice and setting out on their own wild journey. But please don’t be the one who risks it all and gets nothing in return. Don’t say I didn’t warn you; this is the warning.
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Environment
Podcast: Trump/GOP go after EV/solar, Tesla, Ford, GM EV sales, Electrek Formula Sun, and more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Trump’s Big Beautiful bill becoming law and going after EVs and solar, Tesla, Ford, and GM EV sales, Electrek Formula Sun, and more
Today’s episode is brought to you by Bosch Mobility Aftermarket—A global leader and trusted provider of automotive aftermarket parts. To celebrate Amazon Prime Day July 8th through 11th, Bosch Mobility is offering exclusive savings on must-have auto parts and tools. Learn more here.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
- Electrek FSGP 2025: New teams, new cars, same solar spirit
- Congress votes to send 2 million US jobs to China, increase deficit, energy costs
- Tesla (TSLA) confirms 384,000 deliveries in Q2 2025, right on expectations
- Tesla prototype sparks speculation: a Model Y, maybe slightly smaller
- Tesla launches Oasis Supercharger with solar farm and off-grid batteries
- Tesla unveils its LFP battery factory, claims it’s almost ready
- Here’s why Ford’s electric vehicle sales crashed by nearly a third in Q2
- The Chevy Equinox EV is GM’s breakout star, but that’s not the only surprise
- Xpeng launches G7, a new Tesla Model Y competitor for just $27,000
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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