Have you ever thought, “Hmm, I could buy a new car with a nice infotainment display that has Netflix integration and a top-of-the-line sound system, or I could pretend I’m still living in 1930 and buy an electric version of my great-grandfather’s Model T?” While I jest, someone is following through on that idea. Meet Olympian Motors.
Olympian makes you feel like you’re driving to West Egg to party at Jay Gatsby’s lavish mansion, but only this time there are no flappers and bootlegging. The cars evoke memories of early 20th-century American luxury and utility with modern zero-emission motors.
Co-founders Eren Canarslan and Jasmine Sungu established Olympian in 2021 after connecting over their disdain over modern car critiques.
They are often tailored to gearheads with the inclusion of facts like torque, horsepower, acceleration, and frame size. Canarslan explained to Bloomberg that climate is a luxury, and a luxury car should respect it.
A silent electric car made from natural materials is also a luxury. But what makes Olympian stand out from other electric vehicle (EV) startups is that while most EVs are getting more tech-savvy, Olympian is reducing that. There are no screens in Olympian’s Model O1 and Model 84. Instead, knobs and dials have made a triumphant return to an all-wood dashboard. These cars give Sunday driving a different meaning.
Photo Courtesy Olympian Motors
The Model O1 and Model 84 look like an old-school roadster and Jeep, with two-door and four-door versions. The Model 1 can get up to 305 miles before needing another charge, and the Model 84 can get up to 335 miles. Each has a battery of either 42 kWh or 82 kWh, depending on the make.
The cars have some modern features. They will have Bluetooth pairing capabilities, and there are talks to install an augmented-realty windshield that shows the heads-up display. The Model O1 gets up to 160 mph and 0-to-60 in 5.7 seconds. It has the same battery charge rate as the Model 84. Both cars cost around $80,000.
The vehicles are built on a modular drivetrain system, which is the skateboard system that more EV manufacturers are using.
The automaker says the approach has achieved up to 80% reduction in production and labor costs, a 60% faster production time, a shorter design-to-production period (8 months from the average 6+ years in the U.S.), and less red tape. The company says the process is similar to a “Lego architecture.”
OIympian has production facilities in Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York and a Farmington plant in Detroit. Brooklyn will handle aesthetics and modular development, while Detroit will handle component supply, testing, and engineering.
The company said they will source most of the steel, wood, and other materials from recycled sources. The wood comes from Forest Stewardship Council-certified or the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification-certified suppliers.
Photo Courtesy PR Newswire
Olympian was recognized by the MIH Consortium, a Foxconn creation, as a Startup Ambassador at the MIH Demo Day in November 2022. It was one of three startups to earn an ambassadorship for its work in minimalist, classy EVs.
The Model 84 is only available to New York and California residents right now, and only 310 units have been delivered so far. The first delivery is planned for the second quarter of 2024. Demo drives are available in Brooklyn, New York, and on select days in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Miami.