Colchester will be one of the first locations in the world where drivers can get behind the wheel of an exciting new British-made electric vehicle.
But in a twist, the car is only for four to 10 year olds.
The all-electric Firefly Sport is packed full of British innovation and whilst it’s designed to be educational, it has also been engineered to let youngsters experience some of the thrill of being in control of a vehicle.
Now four to 10 year olds in Essex can try out the brand new Firefly Sport at Young Driver’s Colchester United FC Stadium venue. Lessons in the fully-fledged, scaled-down EV will begin on 13th August, taking place on selected weekend dates going forward and costing just £20. The Firefly Sport, which debuted its prototype at the British Motor Show last year, is also available to purchase by private owners for £11,500.
A sister company to Young Driver – which specialises in driving lessons and experiences for those not yet of a legal driving age – Young Driver Motor Cars (YDMC) is producing the 2.1 metre-long car at a workshop in the Midlands, with a team of experts who have previously worked on brands including JLR, MG, Aston Martin, Rover and BMW. The car, which can also accommodate adult drivers or passengers, will use only UK-sourced components for series-build cars making Firefly Sport the country’s first all-British EV.
Firefly Sport’s speeds will be kept below 10mph for young drivers – fast enough to excite a youngster but controllable enough not to worry the adults! However, Firefly Sport also has a remote cut-off facility with a 200-metre range, as well as an automatic cut-off if it senses obstacles in its path, making it ultra-safe for first-time drivers.
Ian Mulingani, YDMC’s managing director, commented: “It’s hoped the car will help educate youngsters about road safety and how future motor vehicles can be an environmental force for good – as well as being a lot of fun! It’s designed to be straightforward and unintimidating, but being electric and looking like a junior supercar, it also aligns with the type of vehicle that children hope to drive when they pass their test. Having seen how young people respond behind the wheel, we can’t wait to let the youngsters of Colchester give it a go. It’s all helping in our mission to create a next generation of safe, responsible motorists – as well as putting smiles on faces!”
