Olymp Is The New European Car Brand That Wants To Make A Difference

2022-06-15 13:18:21 By : Ye Ming

While start-up manufacturers are an increasingly common sight in the modern-day automotive industry, those are usually limited to China and the US. A case in point is Chinese carmakers like Haval and Geely, which are starting to expand to other continents, or American start-ups like Rivian and Lucid, which follow in the footsteps of Tesla. Now, there is another start-up company that proves Europe still has something new to offer on the EV front. It’s called Olymp and, despite the name, it’s an Austrian company that wants to challenge the status quo.

The Vienna-based company is planning to start producing new, all-electric models starting in 2023. The Austrian car company already has a full lineup consisting of several models. The first model is called Hermes and comes with 435 miles (700 km) of range on a single charge and 350 horsepower. The other model is called Ares and it’s a 4.8-meter SUV that would have a range of at least 373 miles (600 km), a top speed of 100 mph (160 km/h), and the ability to charge up to 80 percent in 20 minutes.

In addition, there will also be two sedans, the Athena and Apollon, as well as a pick-up truck called the Artemis. While electricity seems to be the focal point of Olymp, all of the above-mentioned models will have a hydrogen-powered version too. All models of the brand will be underpinned by the Hephaistos modular platform, which was developed in-house and is able to accommodate different drivetrain configurations.

One of the company’s main goals according to co-founder, Elias Skodras, is that "First and foremost, we want to offer our customers affordable and affordable electric vehicles made with German and Austrian quality ." Given the Global perception of German and Austrian-made products, this could be a strong selling point, as long as the company manages to live up to the perceived reputation.

A European EV start-up is a bold move and Olymp executives are wise not to put all their eggs in one basket. Similar to Toyota and other manufacturers, the Austrian company is working on hydrogen propulsion, which suggests that the company is open to alternatives and possible partnerships in the future.