Callum Skye is a Super-Cool EV Off-Roader, and We Want One!
Renowned British auto designer Ian Callum, who made a name for himself at Jaguar and Aston Martin before founding his own car company, is proud to present a first product designed and engineered entirely in-house—the Skye.
Conceived as a sports car up top and a rugged off-roader below the waist, this multi-activity electric vehicle can take on any terrain or weather conditions. And you know what? We’d be thrilled having it in Canada!
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The futuristic, two-tone exterior, which is vaguely reminiscent of the Audi AI:Trail concept from 2019, adopts a wide, athletic stance and a high beltline. The side and rear windows aren’t very big, but the lower door panels incorporate glass sections for improved visibility when tackling tough trails.
In terms of size, the Skye is barely four metres long and its light weight of 1,150 kg is evenly distributed between the front and rear. Ground clearance is nearly 35 cm, while the wheels offer up to 55 cm of travel, which is perfect for off-roading.
Keep in mind that other Skye variants are available, including one that replaces the all-terrain tires with slicker, more urban-oriented tires for drivers who plan to spend more time around town. The interior, meanwhile, accommodates four people in a 2+2 configuration, meaning the rear seats are best left for small children or extra cargo.
As for performance and capability, Callum says the Skye is built on a durable space frame chassis and boasts a suspension with a focus on overtaking trails and other off-road challenges. Power and torque are not specified yet, but 0-100 km/h acceleration is said to take four seconds or less.
The 42kWh battery feeding the motors is reportedly good for a range of about 275 km, with a full charge requiring under 10 minutes via an ultra-fast DC charger.
Now what? Callum likely hasn’t started real-world testing yet, so we’re a long way from seeing production units coming out of the company’s Warwick plant in the U.K. In fact, deliveries in Europe won’t begin until 2025.
Callum says it’s also evaluating a plan to sell the Skye in the U.S., so there might be hope. Fingers crossed!