10 Automotive Startups That Went Nowhere

The automotive industry has always been home to innovation and bright ideas, although not every single new idea is greeted with enthusiasm – or success. It’s actually rather the opposite, with countless startups often stumbling at the first hurdle, or barely being able to move past their initial striking concept designs. Transitioning from an impressive first concept through to a production-ready model takes dedication, knowledge, and more cash than anyone would first imagine, so it’s no wonder why so many startups never manage to realize their dreams.

Either way, we salute all that tried. Here are 10 awesome attempts at breaking into the auto industry that sadly ended up somewhat short of the target.

1 Apex Motors

Apex Motors launched in 2018, with bold and aspirational plans to build an all-electric sports car, or, as they dub it, “the ultimate super sports EV”. A carbon fiber chassis provided both a strong base and helped Apex in achieving an impressive 2,645 lbs total weight, which is complimented by 650 horsepower, allowing the AP-0 concept to hit 62 mph in a claimed 2.3 seconds. The AP-0 was designed and to be developed within the UK, and although plans have stalled for numerous years now, Apex still provides a reservation option online, with a fully refundable $1,000 required in order to claim your spot in the build queue.

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2 Breckland Technologies

Breckland Technologies are based in London, England, and that seems like a fitting home for a company keen on reigniting the sports car market, with a powerful two-seat drop-top. The Breckland Beira was inspired by classic British sports cars, but at its heart is a mighty LS2 V8, producing just shy of 400 horsepower.

Unfortunately, just after the striking and promising Beira was unveiled in 2008, things took a steep downward turn for Breckland Technologies, and the company was soon dissolved just a year later. If Breckland had been successful in launching the Beira, this modern-day TVR Griffith would’ve had stiff competition from the likes of Lotus, who launched the Evora in 2009 with a very competitive starting price of £47,500, whereas the Beira was pegged to cost around £55,000.

3 Devon Motorworks

Of all the stalled startups within this article, the Devon GTX is perhaps the most well-known, thanks to appearances in multiple Forza games, such as Forza Motorsport 3 and 4, and also Forza Horzion. Powering this striking sports coupe was an 8.4-liter V10. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is familiar – the Devon GTX used the same V10 engine as the Dodge Viper, and Devon Motorworks actually made an attempt at buying the Viper from Chrysler.

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Unfortunately, Chrysler turned down the offer as it fell short of the $10 million reserve price. More bad news was just around the corner, because the Viper as a model was then canned in 2010, leaving Devon Motorworks nothing to build the GTX model upon. Devon Motorworks ceased trading shortly after, with the global recession doing little to help matters. The original price was set to be around $500,000, but when one of the two complete examples came up for sale in a 2012 Barrett-Jackson auction, it managed just shy of half that figure, with the hammer falling at $220,000.

4 Lightning Car Company – LCC

Not to be confused with the other LCC – the Light Car Company, which produced the Gordon Murrray-penned ‘Rocket’ sports car. No, this time LCC stands for Lightning Car Company. The LCC might not be as exciting as the Rocket, but it’s just as obscure, and even more short-lived. The Lightning GT pictured here was to be Britain’s industry-leading electric sports coupe, with 400 hp available from the twin rear-mounted electric motors – while the first prototype, unveiled in 2008, boasted 700 hp, courtesy of four motors, with one at each wheel. The GT was displayed at many prestigious events and shows between 2008 and now, but sadly the company was dissolved just 12 months ago, in December 2023.

5 Loremo AG

Loremo hails from Germany, and the name itself derives from “Low Resistance Mobile”, which more than hints at the startup’s plans. It’s easy to see the similarities between the Loremo LS concept and Volkswagen’s own low-resistance model, the XL1, which set immensely impressive fuel efficiency records. The XL1 sold remarkably well, with all 200 units finding homes, despite the seemingly high price of £98,515 (around $160,000 in 2013). The Loremo concepts claimed to return over 100 mpg, and all for under $20,000, too – much cheaper than Volkswagen’s iconic effort.

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This suggests that there actually was a keen market which would have loved to experience Loremo’s efforts on the road, but, regrettably, the project ended up stalling before finally the doors shut for good in 2010.

6 Mazel

The two-seat sports coupe is the work of Spanish firm Mazel, in connection with the H2R Design firm. It sports more than just a passing resemblance to the early Lamborghini Gallardo, especially finished in a typically Lambo-like garish green. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though, especially as the Mazel Identity i1 was set to be powered by a meaningful V8.

Originally, Mazel suggested that this was not merely another concept car, but instead a sports car ready for production – but that day never came. Apart from being shown at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, very little else has been heard or said about the striking green sports car from Spain.

7 Mindset AG

You’d certainly need an open mind in order to accept the Mindset E-Motion’s quirky styling, but, underneath the questionable looks, it is actually quite a clever little car. This Swiss-penned car, dubbed the E-Motion, is a plug-in hybrid with a claimed 62-mile electric-only range, which can then be extended to 500 miles of total range, thanks to the gas engine.

Gullwing doors, 22-inch alloy wheels, an aluminum spaceframe chassis and plastic body panels all helped the E-Motion in looking and performing the part as a slick and range-maximizing plug-in, which was cutting-edge stuff at the time (2007). The roof even mounted solar panels, which could top up the batteries. Headlining the project was Volkswagen’s former Head of Design, Murat Günak, but even with such expertise behind the E-Motion, Mindset was not a success, and dissolved in 2012.

8 NanoFlowcell

NanoFlowcell is a truly impressive company, laying claim to having developed the first ever flow battery small enough to fit in and power an EV passenger vehicle. This is big news, as flow batteries could revolutionize the motoring industry. Instead of having to be plugged in and recharged like a normal EV’s battery, a flow battery can simply have the electrolyte fluid inside replaced – much like filling up a gas car. So, surely this is the new Tesla, set to appear everywhere, no?

Not exactly. Many have questioned the bold claims made by nanoFlowcell, although the company still exists today, and its website suggests work continues on a range of cars, trucks, and even human robotics. The founder of nanoFlowcell was also accused of defrauding an elderly lady by having her invest in non-existing solar panel technology, although he has since been acquitted.

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9 Think Global

Sports cars and supercars are all well and good, but are there any startups thinking about the everyday individual who needs an affordable and economical mode of personal transport? The answer is, or was, yes – Think Global thought of just such needs, and its Think City was the answer.

Here’s the thing: Think Global’s Think City wasn’t actually a total failure – this startup managed to get up and running with some reasonable success:

• Production ran from 2008 to 2012
• The Think City boasted a top speed of 68 mph, and could manage 99 miles on a full charge
• In 2011, it was one of only five fully crash-tested, highway-certified and mass-produced electric cars in the world
• By October 2010, 2,500 examples had been produced, with 1,120 finding homes in Norway by 2013

So, technically, the Think City does not “deserve” a spot on this list. However, Think Global has such an impressive record of poor successes, that it still sort of belongs here. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2011 – for the fourth time in 20 years. The company was sold on, and plans to put the humble City back into production were outlined, but sadly the project never reappeared.

10 Young Engineers Sportscar – YES!

A startup as ambitious and pumped up as its name – YES! The plan here was to develop a driver-focused sports car, with later designs showcasing a boosted 3.2-liter V6, capable of 355 horsepower. It was claimed that the Roadster, as it was dubbed, could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds, and that driver aids such as ABS would be optional, allowing for a pure driving experience.

Everything could be customized, not just the paint or leather color, but even the positioning of the gear level, or what steering wheel and pedals were to be fitted. Despite ambitious plans and plenty of excitement in the press, the company behind it all filed for bankruptcy in 2009.

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