V Engineering has developed Project Continuum, a new high-voltage hybrid battery for the McLaren P1, aimed at replacing deteriorating original cells. The battery increases energy storage to 12.4kWh from 4.72kWh, cuts weight by 23kg, and improves EV range. Customer installations begin spring 2027 for owners in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and US.
V Engineering, an independent McLaren specialist based in Berkshire, UK, has developed a new high-voltage hybrid battery for the McLaren P1, aimed at replacing original cells that are now approaching 16 years old and increasingly prone to failure.
The programme, named Project Continuum, is intended to offer current and future P1 owners an alternative to the factory battery, with V Engineering citing improvements in energy storage and weight alongside unchanged power delivery and increased electric vehicle (EV) range.
The McLaren P1 was unveiled as a concept at the 2012 Paris Motor Show and made its production debut at the 2013 Geneva International Motor Show, with production running from October 2013 to December 2015. According to V Engineering, the original hybrid battery cells fitted to the car began manufacture in 2010, and a number of units have already needed replacement due to cell deterioration that leaves the car undrivable.
The new battery was developed in collaboration with engineers who worked on the original P1 programme. It uses a glycol-based cooling system, which V Engineering says improves heat rejection compared with the standard unit, and is built around a 21700-format lithium battery module engineered to Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Formula E requirements. The company describes the design as a “plug and play” solution, compatible with the P1’s existing electrical architecture.
Energy storage capacity has been increased to 12.4kWh, up from the original 4.72kWh, according to V Engineering. By comparison, the company notes the McLaren Speedtail’s battery offers 1.65kWh, a unit it says is designed for short, high-output bursts to reach top speed rather than the more frequent torque-fill role the P1’s battery performs to offset turbo lag. V Engineering says the higher-capacity unit allows for longer track use before the battery is depleted. The new battery is also 23kg lighter than the original.
Customer installations are scheduled to begin in spring 2027. V Engineering says it is in discussions with P1 owners in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and the United States.
The company describes Project Continuum as the first phase of a wider powertrain development programme intended to provide long-term technical support for P1 owners, and says it is responding to demand from owners seeking a long-term solution to keep their cars operational.
V Engineering, part of the V Group, was established in 2021 and specializes in servicing and supporting current and historic McLaren Automotive models.
