More than half a century ago, Lancia decided sanity was overrated and stuffed a mid-mounted Ferrari V6 into a wedge-shaped missile named the Stratos. The rest is motorsport royalty: 19 rally victories, three consecutive World Championship titles, and a legendary status that still haunts the dreams of automotive designers worldwide. Ever since, whenever a boutique carmaker attempts to build a lightweight, uncompromising driver’s car, someone inevitably invokes the sacred Stratos name.
This time, however, the homage arrives from an unexpected place: China. What initially began as a passion project by Tianjin Gongjiangpai Auto Technology has been picked up by JMEV, and it is now closing in on its final production form. The model is officially called the “Small Sports Car SC01“, a name that it’s (definitely) not so aggressive.
Nomenclature aside, the SC01 is a two-seater electric coupe that channels the minimalist, driver-first mentality of both the Lancia Stratos and the Lotus Elise. In an era where modern electric vehicles routinely scale past two tons, the SC01 tips the scales at a remarkably light around 3,009 pounds. Keeping mass that low while packing two electric motors and a 60-kWh battery setup is nothing short of an engineering flex.
With total output pushing past 430 HP, the dual-motor SC01 boasts a power-to-weight ratio capable of making several internal combustion staples, including the Porsche Cayman, break into a nervous sweat. The manufacturer claims a 500-kilometer range under the notoriously generous Chinese CLTC testing cycle, so real-world figures will likely be a bit more modest once you actually mash the accelerator pedal. Yet, absolute numbers miss the broader point.
The SC01 isn’t trying to copy the Stratos’ iconic wedge lines or flood the cabin with useless digital displays. Instead, it captures the raw, lightweight essence of a classic Italian rally legend in a package that actually makes electric performance sound exciting again.