Musician Wyclef Jean’s Attucks Apex AP0 is a limited-production lightweight electric supercar

Multi-entertainer/entrepreneur Wyclef Jean, known famously in the music industry for being a member of the legendary hip-hop group The Fugees, is a collector of high-speed, exotic cars. Now he’s investing in the manufacturing of one.

The 53-year-old native of Haiti recently revealed his entrance into the automotive manufacturing market with the Attucks Apex AP0, a lightweight electric vehicle that has 650 horsepower. It is being promoted as the lightest-ever EV Supercar, capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph (100 kilometres per hour) in 2.3 seconds.

In an interview with Wheels.ca, Jean said the decision to become involved in the business is a natural one because he has been involved in buying exotic cars and now has a collection of almost 40.

“I have been investing in blue chip automotive assets since I bought the first ever McLaren F1 three-seater in the mid-1990s,” he said. “It is only natural that I invest in my own brand of Supercars with the electric age that is now upon us.

“I've owned very important cars like the Pagani Zonda C12, McLaren F1, Lamborghinis and Ferraris as well, but for me owning one of my own creations is by far the most important collector piece in my collection.”

He said Guy Colborne, formerly with McLaren, designed the car in the United Kingdom, and added it will be different from other Supercars because it is an extremely lightweight EV.

“Most EV cars in Supercars are very heavy due to batteries,” he said. “In the Apex AP0 instance, the batteries are more or less half the normal battery weight which makes it very agile and very maneuverable (creating) a very interactive driving experience.”

He said the decision to build one powered by electricity versus gas is part of the progressive state of the car manufacturing industry.

“We are looking at a very important time in history with the transition from internal combustion engines to EV is imminent,” he said. “With Tesla already far ahead, we've decided to make an EV company as we believe that our kids and our grandkids would only understand EV technology.”

He named the car in honor of Crispus Attucks, the first person to die in the American revolution fighting for independence from the British sovereignty.

“This resonates with the struggle for freedom from the traditional car manufacturers and conglomerate corporate business,” he said.

The car will come with a price tag of $350,000 U.S.

“Only 125 cars will be tested for the North American market, with 99 to be sold to the public,” he said. “The rest of the other cars are already spoken for by other peers of mine and also car collectors that have shown interest in purchasing the collectors series. Customers can, at this moment, put their name down to be considered as a potential buyer with a very small deposit after which they will be notified when production starts in early 2024. The first cars are due to roll out by early 2025.”

He said to be eligible to buy the car, customers will have to be verified by a system to make sure that they have both the passion for a car such as this.

“It is very important for us to understand our customers as the cars will be built within the next 12 months, so understanding the clients’ needs is very, very important,” he said.

The headquarters of the company will be in Little Haiti, Miami in a renovated building.

“We should have it opened by the summer so people can come in and see the car in person,” he said.