Riversimple is developing this car to draw attention to the crisis of vehicle weight. No zero-emission car with a 400-mile range is available at much less than 2,000 kg. The UK-based circular and H₂ car maker plans to produce a limited run of radical zero emission supercars with a range in excess of 400 miles, weighing in at only 620 kg.

New cars today are 25% heavier than they were seven years ago. Weight has a range of unintended consequences, none of them positive – increased resource consumption, embedded carbon in manufacturing and energy consumption in use, increased injuries from accidents, air and water quality from tyre emissions (78% of microplastics in the world’s oceans are from tyres) – and battery electrification has exacerbated the issues. Scientists are warning that we are in danger of replacing one environmental crisis with another.

The Riversimple supercar is the subject of a competition for postgraduate students at Coventry University’s Automotive and Transport Design course as their core individual project in the autumn semester. Riversimple may use the successful exterior and interior design proposals from this competition. The school’s alumni include Tesla, Maserati, Volvo Cars APAC, Bentley and Aston Martin design directors.

The collaboration between Riversimple and Coventry University will be covered by Autocar and the competition judging panel will include Head of Design at VW, Andreas Mindt, who kickstarted his own career with a student-industry competition – having studied for a semester with the Automotive and Transport Design course.

The Riversimple supercar will push the limits of range, efficiency and lightweighting, using advanced carbon composite materials, inboard motors and brakes, lightweight fuel cell technology and supercapacitors. It will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.5s, 0-100 mph in 6.4s and have a 410-mile range, with a fuel cell of only 29kW, or 39bhp, thanks to the integration with supercaps. The ultra-low unsprung mass translates to unrivalled dynamics and the car will be superlight – at just 620 kg, over 1,000 kg less than the battery electric Lotus Evija.

With a top speed of 100 mph, the Riversimple supercar is a different take on what makes for the ultimate driving experience, showcased as an antithesis to current supercar one-upmanship that leads to wide, heavy vehicles more suited to use on the track than the road. Styling, even naming, has become increasingly aggressive with an inference of ‘taming the beast’, a far cry from the concept of being at one with the machine. Riversimple’s technology can be tailored to deliver everything you need and nothing you don’t; it can deliver astonishing acceleration and joie de vivre with only 29kW. A higher, academic, top speed would result in weight, inefficiency, reduced range (or even more weight) and badly compromised vehicle dynamics.

Hugo Spowers MBE, Riversimple’s founder and chief engineer, is keen for the styling of the Riversimple supercar to square up to the high-performance car look of the moment: “This car is an antidote to excess and power for the sake of it and is an opportunity to redefine sports cars for the 21st century. We want the look to embody an elegant and sophisticated simplicity but unquestionably modern – as befits a cutting-edge vehicle with radically different engineering.

“These supercars will be immense fun to drive and demonstrate exceptional vehicle dynamics, range, refuel time, light weight and, with Coventry University students’ help – style.” The Course Director overseeing this project, Associate Professor Aamer Mahmud, said, “This unique competition will challenge our students with a sports car brief, a dream project to kickstart their academic journey at Coventry University. The winning design will showcase the creativity and technical prowess of our future designers.

“The project underscores our commitment to offering real-world opportunities that push the boundaries of sustainable and forward-thinking automotive design. This collaboration not only highlights the innovative spirit of Riversimple but also reinforces our dedication to fostering industry connections that enhance our students' educational experiences and preparing them as professional graduates.”