Lightning--An Aptly Named Electric Car

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.gearlog.com/2008/07/lightningan_aptly_named_electr.php#more

Tuesday July 22, 2008

Lightning--An Aptly Named Electric Car

Low slung and sleek, the http://www.lightningcarcompany.co.uk/home.php">Lightning reminds me of a http://www.jaguar.com/global/default.htm">Jaguar. It very well might be the perfect platform to snap photos of a Jaguar... out the back window as you pull away! The Lightning does 0 to 60 mph in 4 seconds, a full second faster than a Jag and 7 seconds (aka--a lifetime) faster than a http://www.toyota.com/prius-hybrid/">Prius! But what makes the Lightning special is it's an electric automobile.

Joining the ranks of all-electrics, like http://www.teslamotors.com/">Tesla Motors Roadster, the Lightning has further innovated by banking on a lithium-titanate battery, Don't feel bad, I hadn't heard of lithium-titanate either. Forget overnight charging. If you've got three-phase power available, this car can be fully charged in 10 minutes for 200 miles of driving. The batteries themselves have a life expectancy of 12+ years, versus the 3-5 year usable life of other batteries.

To help the power last longer the Lightning takes advantage of regenerative braking. That means the 30% of engine output typically lost to braking is now put back in the battery. Not exactly cutting edge, http://www.mta.info/nyct/facts/ffenvironment.htm">New York City's subways slow down the same way.

Lift the hood of your car and I'll find the engine, but the Lightning has no engine. That reduces maintenance greatly. Instead, there's an electric motor on each wheel, all electronically controlled. What electrics have that an internal combustion engine does not is high torque at all speeds. That means rabbit quick starts and peppy acceleration from nearly any speed.

...

[Warpy]

1. My electric scooter takes advantage of regenerative braking

to the point that once I learned how to take advantage of it, I rarely have to use the brakes, themselves.

It's a neat idea whose time has certainly come. It can save brake pads and extend range.

[Kolesar]

3. What is your range?

I really want a product like that for a commuter. Are there hundreds of feet of climbing on your commute?

[Warpy]

4. It's great for a commuter

and I live in the southern Rockies where nothing is flat.

http://www.egovehicles.com It's still a honey for the money.

[Greyskye]

9. If you need longer range or freeway capable...

...you might want to check this out: http://www.electricmotorsport.com/store/ems_electric_motorcycle_gpr-s.php

Fully Electric motorcycle with up to 60 mile range.

[Nederland]

2. Delivery in 2009

Like the Tesla did, that might slip, but I am amazed at how quickly these things are getting to market. The incentive that $120+ a barrel oil creates is incredible...

[kristopher]

5. Hehehehe... nt

[skids]

11. Actually I'm not too amazed at this one coming to market quickly...

...none of the cars that use the PML flightlink motors and control system should take all that long (the others I am aware of are Volvo Recharge and ZAP-X) because the entire drive train and "engine" control is already engineered. Really it all depends on what other features they want to cram in, how much they want to run it through the QA wringer, and getting the supply lines and materials sourced (the people that do the last part being the unsung heroes that make the difference between concept cars and something you can actually buy.)

[kristopher]

6. Link to Lightning homepage

http://www.lightningcarcompany.co.uk/home.php

[monomach]

7. $240K each. This is a Tesla.

As in...Car for rich people.

Let's hope the rich people buy enough of them that the companies can afford to R & D an "everybody else" model.

[Indenturedebtor]

8. I thought they were already working on one no?

Google tesla motors you lazy slog :P

Man that car is pretty. And fast!

[monomach]

10. They're working on Whitestar for 2010, which will cost $60k

Still too much. They have an idea to try to make "Bluestar." They want it to cost $30k and come out in 2012, but no one's even started to design it. It's just words. In any case, $30k is too much for most people.

I think over the next ten years, we're going to start seeing a lot of tiny electric cars by SMART in our major cities.

American automakers suck.

[Indenturedebtor]

12. Yeah and I don't even know with these small manufacturers if its

a healthcare/benefits thing either. Probably just a greed thing.