SA TECH ENTREPRENEUR SAYS HIS ARARKIS SANDSTORM IS THE WORLD'S FASTEST ACCELERATING EV.
You may have heard of Priven Reddy if you’re South African, and chances are higher if you’re from Durban. He was in the news a while back when his rags-to-riches story was told, working himself up basically from the streets to be worth a few billion Rand. Yup, billion. One of his most recent endeavours was the formation of Ararkis Automobili Ltd, a UK-based automotive company with a focus on electric vehicles and technologies - in short. Last month, the company low-key unveiled the all-electric hypercar it's been working on, the Ararkis Sandstorm. Unveiled is vague, it was more like the reveal of the idea of a concept, but what we see so far, we do like. There are already some bold claims too, like the one that’s actually gotten the Sandstorm onto most automotive news feeds - that it's the world’s fastest 0-100 km/h production car. The website says: “The Ararkis Sandstorm Hypercar, achieves a remarkable feat with its breathtaking acceleration, rocketing from 0-100 km/h in a mere 1.5 seconds – a new global record for any street-legal production car. This remarkable accomplishment underscores our relentless pursuit of pushing the boundaries of performance.” but to many, this is just talk because when something can be labelled the fastest, it usually sees some kind of proof posted to go with it. We’re realists, so while the facts and figures all seem good and the design of the body looks like a world-class hypercar, we need more than words. Priven is confident though: “With the Sandstorm, we sought to create a hypercar that not only pushes the boundaries of performance but also embodies our commitment to a sustainable future. By harnessing the latest advancements in technology and design, we’ve crafted a vehicle that sets new standards for eco-conscious luxury.” he said. The Ararkis Sandstorm follows the typical modern-day recipe for a hypercar, copious amounts of carbon fibre, aluminium, magnesium-aluminium alloy, recyclable plastics and powerful electric motors.
To be able to get the Sandstorm to 100 km/h in just 1.5 seconds, there’s a state-of-the-art 118kW twin EV motor, but the actual power it puts out is yet to be revealed. The Rimac Nevera has 1,408 kW on tap and that can do a standstill to 100 km/h shunt in 1.74 seconds, For the Sandstorm to better that, it either needs heaps more power or the composite body has to be much lighter than the Nevera’s 2.150 kg heft. Again, we await some proper test data to see if it really can compete. The car is also claimed to have a healthy 500 km range and it can get to an 80% charge in 30 minutes, which will be pretty good in the EV hypercars world. Another thing that copies the way other bespoke hypercar manufacturers work is the production run will be limited and in the case of the Sandstorm that will be a total of 20 units. While actual specs are vague right now, the selling price is currently set at $2,000,000. While the car is made in the UK, we’re sure at least one will make its way to local shores, if not from a buyer then possibly one brought in by Reddy to show off with. There are of course locals who would be willing to fork out nearly R40,000,000 for a car like this once it proves itself. We do hope the Ararkis Sandstorm is the real deal, it will be awesome to know there are South African roots to a legit hypercar. We’ll be keeping an eye out for more on the world’s fastest accelerating production car. "The Ararkis Sandstorm is a manifestation of a bold vision and steadfast commitment to redefining what's possible in automotive innovation. In just a few months, when our electric hypercars silently glide onto the roads, they'll do more than turn heads – they'll ignite dreams. These aren't just feats of engineering; they're beacons of hope and ambition, especially for the youth watching with wide-eyed wonder. Each sleek, silent pass of these cars is a testament to what can be achieved through passion and perseverance, a vivid, moving reminder to the next generation that their dreams, no matter how daring, can and should be pursued. We're not just engineering cars; we're crafting a future where the impossible becomes the standard, inspiring young minds to dream bigger, reach higher, and reshape the world." says Reddy.
Take a look at the YouTube video that doesn't really show much, in fact, it doesn't really do or say anything at all. We're going to have to wait for the powers that be at Ararkis Automobili to create some real content to add some flavour to their claims. Do you think all of this is for real?: Ararkis Sandstorm Unveiled | Ararkis
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