The Artega SE enters the electric sports car arena

(PhysOrg.com) -- When most of us think electric sports car, one name comes to mind, the Tesla Roadster, which has enjoyed some solo time in this category, but all reigns come to an end, and a German automaker, Artega, has set its cap at entering the category with its own electric sports car.

The car, which has been dubbed the Artega SE, was shown off at the Geneva Motor Show. The SE, which for the curious is short for 'Sport Electric', has a chance of really living up to the sport in its name.

The Artega SE will come with a pair of rear-mounted electric motors that combine to create a 375 horsepower engine. The top speeds that the car can achieve are over 155 MPH, though there are few places you can actually drive that fast. The power source is a 37 kW lithium polymer battery that should allow drivers to go roughly 124 miles under normal driving conditions. The company says that at a commercial charging station the car will charge in about 90 minutes. Charging at home is expected to take a little bit longer than that, but no specifics have been given.

The Artega SE is going into production in 2012, for an April launch of the car. The car is going to be on sale in Europe for about €150,000, or $200,000 at the current rate of exchange. The company expects to produce about 500 of the cars in the first year. There is no word yet on when the car can be expected to be released in the USA or Asia. Of course, if you are buying a $200,000 car, the import fees may not pose a real challenge.

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