British startup Dendrobium Automotive recently made its public debut at the ultra-exclusive Salon Privé garden party at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. The Duke of Marlborough was among the distinguished guests who were keen to discuss the new zero-emission D-1 hypercar.

The electric Dendrobium D-1 was developed in the UK with the support of the famous Formula 1 company Williams Advanced Engineering. It will offer 1,800 bhp of power, but has a target weight of only 1,750 kg, thanks to a number of lightweight composites and alloys, as well as what the company calls a “unique Protocell carbon tub.” The D-1’s Bio-Aerial Locomotion door and roof opening system were inspired by the Dendrobium orchid, which unfurls naturally in a similar manner.

Dendrobium recently signed an agreement with Australia-based Magnis Resources and New York-based Charge CCCV (aka C4V) to develop a new generation of batteries, including solid-state batteries. Under the joint development agreement, the companies will cooperate on battery packaging solutions, hybrid systems, battery management software and performance testing.

“We are designing our own in-house all-electric powertrain and we plan to use our own power storage cells, moving to solid-state as and when the technology is reliable and financially viable,” said Dendrobium CEO Nigel Gordon-Stewart. “We are developing unique cabling and connector systems as well as our own complete vehicle integration and ADAS hardware and software. From a technical perspective, the D-1 will be a British engineering tour de force.”

Source: Dendrobium