Morgans are a lot of things, but mainstream isn't one of them. The British automaker that recently celebrated a century of automobile production is better known for its building methods dating from... well, a century ago. In fact, most of the production in the Morgan workshop remains executed by hand, with wooden chassis and steel sheeting for the panels. And that's the charm of owning a Morgan that looks like it could have been passed down from your grandfather, whether you like the classic oldie look of the Plus 8 or the quirky 3 Wheeler.
So, innovation hasn't been Morgan's thing over the years. However out of the blue the automaker announced today that by 2020, they will offer a range of hybrid and electric vehicles, following in the trend of eco-friendly vehicles. The small scale manufacturer will take a huge leap into the present by adding electric powertrains to its lineup of Rover and BMW V8 engines. The Morgan Motor Company has formed a consortium with Delta Motorsports and Potenza Technology to lead a £6M project (that's roughly $12M) to develop hybrid and electric powertrains.
The first hybrid Morgans are expected to be available by 2019 and before the end of the decade, the six-vehicle lineup will be fully available with a hybrid engine option.
This decision will also mean that new jobs will be created at the Malvern factory. And that today everyone will talk about (and remember) the Morgans.
