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McLaren P1 hybrid hypercar loses lid and goes all electric… for the kids

The multi-million-dollar McLaren P1 hybrid hypercar has morphed into an all-electric, single-seat convertible in a bid to appeal to a wider market… those aged three to six.


An exclusive offering for those who may not have the fullest of piggy banks, the ride-on McLaren P1 is officially limited to a specific group of potential customers, with the British brand saying “customers ideally should be between three and six years old to drive it – although young drivers beyond this age group might also fit”.

Featuring a McLaren F1-style central driving position, the all-electric P1 convertible continues with McLaren’s signature dihedral doors, and while it might not match the real P1 for outright performance, the Mini-Me McLaren still claims to go from zero to vmax (approximately 5km/h) in 2.0 seconds.

It also has three forward gears, a reverse gear, a push-button start, lights, ‘air-conditioning’, and, according to the Woking-based supercar builder, an MP3 player and audio system with “every popular nursery rhyme” already programmed in.

Only available in Volcano Yellow, McLaren Automotive says the brand-new ride-on P1 not only marks its first officially-licensed foray into “this growing market segment”, but also represents “the most compact car yet to wear the McLaren badge”.

Set to go on sale globally from selected McLaren Automotive retailers from the end of October, the ride-on P1 is priced at £375 ($635) in the UK, with a local McLaren spokesperson telling CarAdvice, “Australian pricing has not yet been announced.”

Whether the kid edition P1 is a stepping stone in McLaren’s recently-announced six-year, £1 billion, ‘Track22’ business plan into the research and development of 15 all-new cars or derivatives, a 50 per cent hybrid line-up by 2022, and a fully-electric Ultimate Series prototype, remains unclear.

Valued at north of $2 million, the real (left-hand-drive-only) McLaren P1 first wowed fans in 2013, with the 673kW/900Nm rear-wheel-drive hybrid’s drivetrain teaming a 542kW/720Nm twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 with a 132kW/260Nm electric motor, a battery pack, and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The full-size P1 claims 0-100km/h in less than 3.0 seconds, 0-200km/h in under 7.0 seconds, 0-300km/h in 17.0 seconds, and an electronically limited top speed of 350km/h.

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