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Firefly Sport junior car aims to get youngsters into vehicles from an early age

The Firefly Sport has been revealed as a ‘scaled-down EV motor car’ that aims to get children as young as four behind the wheel.

Produced by Young Driver Motor Cars – the sister company to Young Driver, a driving school for under-17s – the junior car has been developed by former employees of British car firms including Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover.

Called the ‘country’s first all-British EV’, the Firefly Sport is made from fully UK-sourced parts, including the batteries and electric motors, which are usually secured from overseas.

(Young Driver Motor Cars)
(Young Driver Motor Cars)

Designed to be used by four-to-10-year-olds and offering an ‘authentic driving experience’, the 2.1m-long car can still seat adults, the firm added.

Far more than a plastic toy, it’s built on an aluminium suspension and uses all-round independent steering. Young Driver Motor Cars says it hopes it will offer ‘young drivers a taste of how a road car looks, handles and performs’.

Using two recyclable batteries and two small electric motors, the Sport can travel up to 25mph depending on the gearbox fitted, while it has a remote cut-off facility that means a parent can bring it to a stop.

(Young Driver Motor Cars)
(Young Driver Motor Cars)

Prices are yet to be announced for the junior car, which makes its debut at the British Motor Show, running between August 18 and 21 at Farnborough International Expo Centre. Children will be able to experience it at the show, with 15-minute slots available from £20.

Ian Mulingani, managing director of Young Driver Motor Cars, said: “Firefly Sport is a fully fledged, scaled-down motor car.

“From its launch this month, it will allow four-to-10-year-olds the chance to get behind the wheel and have an authentic motoring experience, thanks to this model’s sophisticated design and components, which fundamentally mirror the way a road car behaves but at fully manageable speeds.

“Being electric and looking like a junior supercar, it also aligns with the type of vehicle that children see themselves driving when they pass their test.”