RUSSIAN ARMS MAKER Kalashnikov has presented its new electric car inspired by a rare 1970s model, saying the new technology will rival Elon Musk’s Tesla.

The brand, best known for the AK-47 machine gun, presented the decidedly retro-looking pale blue prototype, the CV-1, at a defence expo outside Moscow.

The look was inspired by a Soviet hatchback model developed in the 1970s called “Izh-Kombi”, a statement on the Kalashnikov website said.

Holding company Kalashnikov Concern said it has developed some cutting-edge elements for the “electric supercar”, including a “revolutionary” inverter. The vehicle can travel 350 kilometres on one charge.

“We are developing our own concept of an electric supercar, which is based on several original systems developed by the concern,” the firm said.

“This technology will let us stand in the ranks of global electric car producers such as Tesla and be their competitor,” RIA-Novosti further quoted the Kalashnikov press-service as saying.

We were inspired by the experience of global market leaders in developing our concept.

Kalashnikov Concern has long been trying to expand its brand, recently launching lines of clothing and other civilian merchandise ranging from umbrellas to mobile phone covers.

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”.

“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.