August 20, 2025 – McLaren’s newly appointed CEO, Nick Collins, has made it abundantly clear that electric vehicles (EVs) are not part of the British supercar maker’s immediate plans.
Following the acquisition of McLaren by Abu Dhabi-based investment group CYVN Holdings and its subsequent merger with startup Forseven earlier this year, Collins took the helm as CEO. During an interview with Car and Driver at Monterey Car Week, he emphasized that McLaren will remain committed to internal combustion and hybrid powertrains for the foreseeable future.
Collins highlighted that the company has no intention of abandoning its iconic 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, despite the impressive performance of the 3.0-liter V6 used in the Artura. In fact, McLaren has further optimized the V8 for its latest hypercar, the W1, achieving an astonishing 229.6 horsepower per liter—a significant leap from the 750S’s 185.3 horsepower per liter. He hinted that this powerhouse engine could be featured in more McLaren models down the line.
However, Collins did not completely rule out electrification. He acknowledged that if McLaren were to launch a fully electric vehicle, it would most likely be a market-specific offering, with China being the prime candidate due to its status as the world’s largest EV market by far.
This strategic stance reflects McLaren’s focus on leveraging its engineering heritage while keeping an eye on evolving market trends, particularly in regions where electric mobility is rapidly gaining traction.
