700HP Lightning GT electric car available for pre-order

[Bartek S.]

The electric sports car segment is about to heat up with the announcement that UK’s Lightning Car Company is now taking pre-orders for its all-electric GT ahead of a scheduled launch date in early 2009. We first reported about the Lightning GT in June of last year but since then the car’s design has been given a total revamp and final production specifications have been confirmed.

Powering the GT is a new 700hp electric powertrain featuring nano titanate battery technology, which is enough to propel the car from 0-60mph in a flat four seconds and take it a top speed of about 130mph. The electric drive system, dubbed Hi-Pa Drive, packs four permanent magnet brushless motors developing at least 120kW in each wheel and features full traction control and regenerative braking on all four wheels independently.
American rival Tesla Motors has had some major issues with the transmission system in the Tesla Roadster in months following up to their planned release date, however Lightning should have no such problems. Due to power being developed separately in each wheel, there are no gearboxes, differentials, axles, drive shafts or propshafts in the Lightning sports car.
One of the key benefits of electric vehicles is that they have maximum available power at the wheels at any speed, unlike a petrol engine where maximum power is only obtained high up in the rev range. Officials claim charging the batteries for just ten minutes will provide up to 250 miles of driving, and at current prices driving one mile will cost just 2.5 cents.
To save weight, the car’s body is made from carbon fibre and Kevlar, and even with the full array of batteries on board the GT has a near ideal weight distribution of 48/52 front to rear. The car is also available with luxury items such as air-conditioning, satnav, and full leather trim.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/coupes/700hp-lightning-gt-electric-car-available-for-pre-order/

 

[Sayyaaf]

I see alot of SAAB concept influence in the design + TVR in the greenhouse ... more interesting the technology it hides

 

[bmer]

Funny, I just bumped into this project and the company's website over a week ago.

 

[rev]

700hp Lightning GT Electric Car Revealed

The Lightning Car Company has pulled the wraps off their new Lightning GT. Designed to incorporate the latest advancements in battery and motor technology, the car runs solely on electricity.

With more than 700 horsepower and a lightweight body built from carbon fiber and Kevlar, the car can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4 seconds. NanoSafe battery packs provide 36 kW of power, while regenerative braking helps maximize the GT’s range. The vehicle comes with a home charging unit with internal safety features and a mobile charger is offered.

Standard equipment includes anti-lock brakes, traction control, central locking, alarm and immobilizer, electric windows, and leather/alcantara sports seats. Owners can also order their car with air conditioning and a navigation system.

Construction of a prototype is currently underway and is scheduled to be completed later this year. The company is accepting pre-orders for a £15,000 deposit.

Press Release

ELECTRIC LIGHTNING GT DESIGN REVEALED
In June 2007, The Lightning Car Company announced its intent to develop electric technology for a luxury British sports car – the Lightning GT. Today sees the unveiling of its evolutionary design. This super car with its outstanding presence & performance is set to put British sports car innovation well and truly back on the map. Designed to accommodate the latest battery and motor technology and reflect its 100% electric power and performance, the electric Lightning prototype is being hand-built by a small team of passionate British engineers, designers and collaborators.
Whilst the rest of the automotive world engages in the hybrid, hydrogen or electric debate, the Lightning Car Company firmly believes its 100% Electric Lightning GT will help kick start the market for performance EV’s. Without a significant positive shift in perception, electric motoring will remain a huge compromise in the eyes of driving enthusiasts and therefore fail to impress the masses. Our vision is shared by the world's biggest car maker, General Motors, who believes the global oil supply has peaked and a switch to electric cars is inevitable…
The design team has created a successor to the petrol Lightning GT. Combining the spirit, heritage, individuality and drama of the original car with a dynamic and contemporary design language moves it into a new era and, in doing so, embraces the new technologies and innovative architecture that reside beneath its skin. Subtle creases, positive and negative sections add a sense of strength and finesse to the dramatic surfaces of the car while retaining an understated, yet distinctive British Grand Tourer aesthetic. The Lightning’s interior will also be designed to complement the unique electric driving experience.
With the build of the prototype well underway, we should see how this translates into the ‘real thing’ during the second half of 2008. The electric Lightning GT and Sports versions are now available to pre-order and deposits of £15,000 are being accepted.

Welcome to Lightning Car Company - The UK's Premier Electric Sports Car

WCF: 700hp Lightning GT Electric Car Revealed

 

[Bartek S.]

Updated: The Tesla Roadster has had next-to-no competition in the market for high-powered electric sports cars but that’s about to change as the UK’s Lightning Car Company has announced that its 700hp (522kW) all-electric GT will make its global debut at the London Motor Show on July 23. The company first started taking orders for the car late last year and will soon be ready to start deliveries of its first vehicles.
motorauthority

 

[Bartek S.]

Update: London debut for 700HP Lightning GT EV

Updated: The Tesla Roadster has had next-to-no competition in the market for high-powered electric sports cars but that’s about to change as the UK’s Lightning Car Company has announced that its 700hp (522kW) all-electric GT. The car will make its global debut at the London Motor Show tomorrow, but the company today released a new set of images for the car. The company first started taking orders for the car late last year and will soon be ready to start deliveries of its first vehicles.

The battery pack will be made by AltairNano using the company’s NanoSafe technology, which use nano titanate materials instead of graphite which makes them far more thermally stable and able to recharge in as little as 10 minutes, rather than hours like conventional batteries. Additionally, the NanoSafe batteries have a life expectancy of over 12 years and can retain as much as 85% of their original charge even after 15,000 cycles, alleviating much of the concern over limited lifetimes and high replacement costs of the battery packs. And the batteries themselves are already in use in another electric vehicle, the Phoenix Motors pickup truck. Original: The electric sports car segment is about to heat up with the announcement that UK’s Lightning Car Company is now taking pre-orders for its all-electric GT ahead of a scheduled launch date in early 2009. We first reported about the Lightning GT in June of last year but since then the car’s design has been given a total revamp and final production specifications have been confirmed.
Powering the GT is a new 700hp electric powertrain featuring nano titanate battery technology, which is enough to propel the car from 0-60mph in a flat four seconds and take it a top speed of about 130mph. The electric drive system, dubbed Hi-Pa Drive, packs four permanent magnet brushless motors developing at least 120kW in each wheel and features full traction control and regenerative braking on all four wheels independently.
American rival Tesla Motors has had some major issues with the transmission system in the Tesla Roadster in months following up to their planned release date, however Lightning should have no such problems. Due to power being developed separately in each wheel, there are no gearboxes, differentials, axles, drive shafts or propshafts in the Lightning sports car.
One of the key benefits of electric vehicles is that they have maximum available power at the wheels at any speed, unlike a petrol engine where maximum power is only obtained high up in the rev range. Officials claim charging the batteries for just ten minutes will provide up to 250 miles of driving, and at current prices driving one mile will cost just 2.5 cents.
To save weight, the car’s body is made from carbon fibre and Kevlar, and even with the full array of batteries on board the GT has a near ideal weight distribution of 48/52 front to rear. The car is also available with luxury items such as air-conditioning, satnav, and full leather trim.
motorauthority