Russian arms maker, Kalashnikov, presented a new electric car inspired by a rare 1970s model, saying its new battery-powered car could rival Elon Musk's Tesla.
The brand, best known for its AK-47 assault rifle, unveiled its retro, pale blue prototype, the CV-1, at a defence expo near Moscow.
Cutting-edge elements
The design was inspired by a Soviet hatchback model developed in the 1970s called "Izh-Kombi", reports Kalashnikov.
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Holding company Kalashnikov Concern said it has developed some cutting-edge elements for the "electric supercar", including a "revolutionary" inverter. The vehicle can travel 350km on one charge, Kalashnikov claims.
Its foray into electric vehicles, however, was met with mixed reactions from Russians. Comments to the news on the company's official Facebook page ranged from "cyberpunk" to "Izh-Zombie".
Image: HO / KALASHNIKOV MEDIA / AFP
"Your tanks are great, but it would be better if you stayed away from cars," one user wrote.
Earlier this week, online users ridiculed Kalashnikov's new bipedal combat robot. The golden-colour machine, reportedly named "Igorek" in production stages, immediately became a subject of social media memes.
"Somebody had watched too much 'Robocop'," tweeted user happy__keanu, referring to the 1987 action film about a cyborg law enforcer.