Callum Skye: The World’s Most Beautiful High-Performance Electric Off-Roader
An Exclusive Creation by Callum: The Design Group Led by Ian Callum
Callum, the Warwick-based design group formed and fronted by Ian Callum, the legendary former design boss of Jaguar, is set to launch an exclusive electric off-roader called Callum Skye. Branded as “the world’s most beautiful high-performance multi-terrain vehicle,” the Skye is the first own-brand vehicle designed and engineered entirely in-house by the Callum company.
A Compact and Powerful Off-Roader
The Callum Skye is a compact twin-motor, all-wheel drive, two-door creation with a target weight of just 1150kg. It boasts a 50:50 weight distribution and has similar dimensions to a Renault Clio, measuring just over 4.0 meters in length and 1.9 meters in width.
Bold Design and Impressive Features
The Skye’s bold shape is driven by its capabilities and features a strong “accent loop” surrounding the door apertures. Its horizontal body structure provides mountings for the two large doors, which are glazed both below and above the waistline. Inside, there is space for a pair of occasional rear passengers.
Ian Callum led the design work, with support from Aleck Jones, a digital modeller, and the company’s expanding design group. The Skye’s sophisticated look is a result of their collaboration.
High Performance and Range
The Callum partners believe that the Skye’s compactness and light weight will deliver genuine high performance. They promise a sub 4.0-second 0-60mph time and a range of around 170 miles from its 42kWh battery. The twin-motor layout and specific suppliers for the Skye have not been disclosed yet.
Rugged Chassis and Advanced Battery Technology
The Skye features a rugged steel spaceframe chassis with ample ground clearance and travel for its bespoke all-independent suspension. It also incorporates a composite body. The partners aim for the Skye to be as comfortable and refined on-road as it is off-road, surpassing the refinement of petrol- or diesel-powered rivals.
The Skye is likely to offer the option of a battery capable of ultrafast charging, thanks to a partnership with Nybolt, a Cambridge-based advanced battery maker known for its lightweight and long-lasting lithium-ion batteries.
Production and Pricing
The Callum company plans to produce up to 50 Skyes at its Warwickshire facility. While the pricing has not been finalized, the partners are targeting a figure of around £100,000.
Q&A with Ian Callum, Callum’s Design Chief
Did you consider a sports car as your first own-brand product?
“We did but decided it would be a bit predictable. We settled on something that would show our versatility, and that we’re about all kinds of vehicles, not just one.”
How many Skyes will you make?
“Clearly it depends on demand, but it’ll be dozens, not hundreds. We’re funding the first prototype ourselves, so we have four or five months’ hard work ahead to get it on the road.”
Will you make more bespoke Callum cars?
“That’s our intention. The Vanquish project was something we did to prepare ourselves for the phase that starts with Skye, doing our own projects. We don’t want just to be an agency for other brands. We have a way of creating simple but beautifully crafted cars with special detail design.”
Would you do the next one in bigger numbers?
“There’s lots to do before we get to that kind of decision, but if things go well we could imagine making our own cars in batches of up to 1000. David, Adam, and I have been doing this car creation thing together for quite a few years. It’s not a mystery to us; we know our capabilities.”
Electric cars are usually heavy. How are you keeping the weight so low?
“What we’ve quoted is a target, but we’re confident we can get close to it by simplifying the design and controlling the weight of every component very closely. This will be a simple machine, beautifully built. Our mantra is ‘minimum mass, maximum capability’.”