Tesla’s Lightning Competition
We Americans have the Tesla Roadster, the electric car which does zero to sixty in four seconds. The British now have the Lightning, the electric car which does…you guessed it, zero to sixty in four seconds.
Built by the Lightning Car Company of England, this all-electric sports car has some impressive features (to go with its impressive price tag). It’s 700hp electric motor system has a top speed of over 130mph and has an innovative design.
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Notice I said “system” and not “motor?” That’s because the car doesn’t have one electric motor, but four: one in each wheel. This allows for less waste because of power transfers from motor to drive train to wheels. It also allows for more efficient regenerative braking, which most intelligent electrics are using now, wherein the power used to brake the wheels to slow or stop the vehicle is also used to recharge the batteries by capturing the inertia and re-converting it back to electricity.
While you may or may not see this car in the next Bond film, don’t expect anyone besides him to be able to afford it. With a price of a whopping 120,000 British Pounds (about $240,000 American) and reservation payment of 3,500 British Pounds, you’ll have to really, really want to go electric to get one. For the rest of Britain, there’s always the G-Wiz, I guess.
Tags: electric car, Featured, G-Wiz, Lightning, Tesla
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I would still rather have an Aptera.
That car is awesome and rocks. Now if they could just make a minivan I would totally BUY it!
as far as i know tesla roadster also costs something like $100.000? although having less impressive “systems” and performance. am i wrong ?
it’s worth remembering that the tesla is based almost entirely on the lotus elise the epitome of british racing, other than bentleys, and F1 etc
Wait- I’m confused. The British have never been able to build a decent car electrical system and now we’re supposed to believe they’ve made an electrical powered car? It’s April fools right?
Also- what does a down payment of $100,000 mean? Is the car more than that?
LAH - I think the article indicated that the DOWN PAYMENT is $100k. No mention as to the entire cost of the car.
All, here’s the FAQ from their website:
Q. How much will I have to pay to own a Lightning?
A. We are aiming for a price of £120,000 (inc. VAT) excluding options. Circa €155,000 (as at 20/10/08).
Q. What is the range on a fully charged Lightning?
A. We are seeking to exceed a range of 188miles/300km on a full charge.
Q. How long does it take to charge the Lightning?
A. There are likely to be three options: Overnight using a domestic power supply, a couple of hours using a 3 phase power supply and just 10 minutes using a fast charge unit.
Q. When will the Lightning be available for test drives / purchase?
A. The Lightning team are now embarking on a programm of development and testing which is essential for industry compliance and to establish Lightning’s capability against our performance intent. We currently hope to be able to start production of our first models late 2009. Consequently, we are not yet in a position to issue full specification or offer test drives.
Q. Will I be able to purchase a Lightning outside of the UK?
A. We are planning to build cars for the rest of Europe, North America and other key markets however, timing for specific countries is yet to be determined.
Q. What is the Lightning’s top speed?
A. We are limiting the top speed to 130mph/209kmph.
Q. Will you be producing left hand drive and soft top versions?
A. It is our intention at this stage to produce both a right and left hand drive vehicles from the outset and a convertible version will likely follow within 3 years.
Q. Can I reserve my Lightning now?
A. Due to the extreme popularity of Lightning we are accepting reservations for a returnable fee of £3,500. Should you be interested in securing a reservation number please email nicolas@lightningcarcompany.co.uk and we will send you the relevant paperwork.
Q. How does the Lightning charge its battery system?
A. The Lightning has a built in battery charging and control system. Simply plug the car’s charging lead into your home’s electric power point and you’ll soon be charged and ready for the next journey. The lead is 12 feet long (optional 20 foot extension cable available). The electronics take care of various power sources that it can receive power from. It’s as simple as that! There are a number of different sources that can be utilised with this cable and charging times can vary depending on the state of the batteries and also the power source chosen.
Q. Why are the motors in the wheels?
A. We’ve chosen the very best drive system technology available anywhere in the world. This advanced motor technology now has phenomenal torque and power capability which is integrated within a wheel assembly. There are no gearboxes, differential, axle, drive shafts or propshafts to contend with. All of the power is generated at the wheel, the point at which it’s required, which eliminates mechanical complexity and power losses experienced in standard sports cars. These lightweight and ultra powerful motors don’t add significant extra unsprung weight and are therefore ideal in that position.
Q. How does the regenerative braking work?
A. When you brake, the car’s kinetic energy is converted to heat through friction - throwing away the energy that was previously used to accelerate the car. In city driving, about 30 percent of a typical car’s engine output is lost to braking. This proportion drops to almost zero in highway driving, where braking is much less frequent.
An electric vehicle uses an electric motor to create torque to drive its wheels. When an electric vehicle is approaching a stop light, it doesn’t create friction and useless heat in order to slow down. Instead it reverses its electric motor turning it into an electric generator, creating electricity which is fed back into the battery and stored for future use. In fact any time an electric vehicle decelerates it causes the system to use the vehicle’s momentum to generate electricity. (Back)
Q. Where can I get the Lightning serviced?
A. Facilities will be available at the manufacturer and authorized service centers in major UK cities.
Q. Is the Electric Lightning safe?
A. The electric Lightning can demonstrate that occupant safety is a priority.
Through development work with Amber Composites and Technical Resin Bonders the bodywork will incorporate aluminium honeycomb crushable impact cells, the same technology that is used in Formula 1 motor racing to protect the driver. This material will be used in the front, rear and sides of the car as well as around the battery area.
The Lightning has no large fuel tank. Instead it incorporates a state of the art NanoSafe™ battery system. NanoSafe™ batteries use nano titanate materials instead of graphite which makes them far more thermally stable – there are no toxics or heavy metals used in NanoSafe™ batteries.
Q. Do the batteries require any cooling or heating and will the car operate in low winter temperatures?
A. The NanoSafe™ batteries are designed to be used in vehicles and hostile environments and will work in temperatures between 75°C and minus 30°C. Unlike standard Lithium-Ion batteries in electric vehicles these don’t need to be kept cool when charged/used or heated to get them to perform in sub zero temperatures.
Q. Are the batteries like the “laptop variety” of small cells, thousands of which are used for the battery pack?
A. No, each NanoSafe™ battery unit is about the size of a large car battery and only thirty such units make up a complete battery pack. These are situated in the car to give the desired ultra low “centre of gravity” and optimum weight distribution both front and rear.
Q. Do the batteries take up the entire boot and bonnet space?
A. As there’s no fuel tank, the Lightning GT offers plenty of boot space with golf clubs no problem! The batteries are only 9” high ensuring additional bonnet space is also available. Locating the batteries in the optimum position allows the Lightning to have ‘designed-in’ weight distribution and low roll centres. This, combined with the high technology chassis, will achieve excellent road holding performance dynamics.
Q. How will the Lightning be charged away from home?
A. Standard single phase home type power source can be used to charge overnight and is available just about anywhere by using the onboard charger. For a fast charge a 3 phase power supply is required and with the interest in electric powered vehicles increasing significantly, more high power charging stations will be installed. Most garage forecourt and industrial areas already have this level of high power source available and therefore can be fitted with a universal charging station.
All, pricing information was wrong, and has been corrected in the article. My apologies. Down payment is about $7k USD and the car itself will run you about $240k USD. Definitely a whole lot more expensive than the Tesla. Although I have to say… rawr.. it is sexy. I like it better in terms of looks than the Tesla.
Motors in wheels is simpler but stupid. A heavier wheel can never adapt to changing road conditions as well as a lighter one. Handling will suck. It’s called “unsprung weight”; the lower, the better. Four motors by all means, but mount ‘em on the frame.
The Tesla is also hot, and the Lightning is definitely not worth twice the price. Plus the Tesla is faster, has a longer range, and is being designed in the heart of Silicon Valley, something I think is beneficial to an electrical car. Not to mention, the Tesla is available now.
The Tesla has a higher top speed, but that’s about it. And being “available now” is only technical, since Tesla ORDERS are a year out, so you can’t just walk into a dealership and buy one today, you have to wait. I do agree that the Tesla is a better-looking car, though.
I also don’t know how Silicon Valley somehow makes anything better. What’s the difference between SV, Cheyenne, or Budhapest? Besides the Communism inherent to Kalifornia, that is?
Seriously, though, I really wish a more realistic electric car would appear. Stupid highway safety commission rules. Once again, government screws us over.
thats not that ridiculous of a price for a high performance sports car. hell not that bad for a car that is just luxurious.
I did an article on this car a while back: http://www.automoblog.net/2007/06/16/lightning-gt-electric-supercar/
Don’t think it will outshine Tesla, assuming Tesla makes the moves it should.
Jacqueline_Hyde, your logic is so flawed! What is the point of having 4 electric motors mounted in the frame when you will need 4 separate and heavy transmission systems with the gearing to transfer the power to the wheels! That will be 4 times as many moving parts as the Tesla (even though that’s only like 12 - 20) to maintain and way less efficient!
The only issue is the unsprung weight, but the latest motor in wheel hub solutions (such as PML’s) are already extremely compact and light weight. I might even venture a guess that they are using PML’s when they said that they “don’t add significant extra unsprung weight”. Such motors in hubs are already able to achieve complete stops - which means that the weight of the motors are also offset by the removal of brake systems (hydraulics/calipers/discs/pads).
Bear in mind that the Tesla doesn’t really use regenerative braking but something more akin to the central engine braking that an internal combustion engine uses as well to slow the vehicle down (& recover electricity). The Tesla therefore actually has conventional brakes in each wheel that turn rotational energy to heat. It also means u wld hv traditional issues like brake wear & tear + replacements to contend with!
Performance issue? Here’s something for you to chew on - with the motors in the wheels, u get perfect inherent weight balance in the 4 corners of the car. Not to mention the fact that you have inherent 4 wheel drive. The intelligent electronic systems can even provide on-the-fly torque differential on slippery roads and emergencies (ABS braking), no need for cumbersome mechanical gears and clutches! Even steering can be made smart - when making a tight right turn, the torque output in the left wheels on the inside can be intelligently reduced. Greater economy and greater nimbleness. Try beating that.
Wheels in hubs are the future.
Pardon the logic…
Even steering can be made smart - when making a tight right turn, the torque output in the “RIGHT” wheels on the inside can be intelligently reduced.
Smaller turning radius!