Back To The Future: DeLorean Unveils All-New Electric Alpha5

The DeLorean DMC-12 became widely popular thanks to the Back To The Future films from the mid/late 1980s. Its most memorable appearance was when the vehicle had to travel 88 miles per hour so the “flux capacitor” could initiate time travel. 

Four decades since the DMC-12 was first released (1981), DeLorean Motor Company unveiled the DMC Alpha5 on Monday.

The Alpha5 and DMC-12 have one noticeable feature: the famous massive gullwing doors, though the new vehicle will feature an all-electric powertrain that allows for 0-60 mph in 2.99 seconds or 0-88 mph in 4.35 seconds, much faster than DMC-12’s 0-60 mph in 10.5 seconds. 

The aerodynamic body of the Alpha5 is a lot cleaner than the boxy body of the DMC-12. Alpha5 has a drag coefficient similar to the Tesla Model 3 and a 300-mile range. 

The history of John DeLorean, the creator of the DMC-12, was a rather interesting one. In 1982, one year after the DMC-12 was released, the FBI set up a sting where DeLorean agreed to bankroll a fake cocaine smuggling operation in hopes of providing cash flow to his company. DMC went bankrupt shortly after DeLorean was arrested, and the DMC-12 halted production. The car was only made between 1981-1982. Then in 1995, Stephen Wynne bought the rights to the company. 

According to Joos de Vries, the CEO of Delorean Motor Company: “The Alpha5 is for people that love to drive.” Neilo Harris, VP of branding, added: 

“We have been given the opportunity to reimagine a brand that has meant to much to so many people from all corners of the globe for four decades. DeLorean has touched so many lives and set the stage for so many memories… We are all now witnessing a new chapter of this amazing story.” 

Alpha5 will “will premiere at Pebble Beach Concours d ‘Elegance Award ramp on August 18 and the Concept Lawn on August 21,” the company said on its website.