Lightning's �120,000 all-electric sports car unveiled in London

Well, would you have a look at that. That, dear friends, is Lightning's immaculate GT -- a £120,000 ($239,400) motorcar that is just one of two vehicles in the world to rely on lithium-titanate battery technology. Said innovation enables the vehicle to go from dead to fully charged in "just minutes," though you will have to find a location that provides three-phase industrial power in order to see the benefits over traditional Li-ion cells. The firm's Chris Dell asserts that the nearly exclusive quick charge tech more than justifies the exorbitant price tag, and he's even looking to UK-based businesses to hopefully strike a deal in which motorists can swing by, juice up and be on their way while traveling. Anxious to take delivery? Looks like you'll be waiting until sometime next year.

[Niz @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:04PM]

Im actually moreinterested in what's powering this thing if it can charge within minutes, i want to charge my phone, mp3 player etc within minutes why cant they bring this batter to phones?

also whats that blue thing in the wheel is that just the disc brakes?

[DefPo3t @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:29PM]

I think this might be you cell phone, mp3 player chargering problem"three-phase industrial power"

[OneLove @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:33PM]

go away am trying to work. :)

[Blackstar @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:17PM]

I'm more interested in seeing what lap time the Stig can get out of it on Top Gear's track and how many jokes Clarkson can make about it in 60 minutes.

[centinall @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:23PM]

"The batteries power four permanent magnet brushless motors, one at each wheel, which negates the need for a gearbox, axles, and transmission -- or transmission troubles. Each wheel will also boast independent traction control and regenerative braking."

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/09/lightning-gt-ev-sports-car-coming-this-month/

[Dave @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:24PM]

Batteries are always charged with DC power, the "three phase industrial" language is just a fancy way of saying "very high current, more than available in a home". Indeed, very high current would be needed to charge a huge battery like in a car in a very short time.

Not so for a cellphone. In fact, if a cellphone has, say, a 1000mAh battery, 5 amps (reasonable for 120V house current) could charge the battery in 12 minutes or so, if the battery technology would take it.

[Matt @ Jul 22nd 2008 10:16PM]

IN SOVIET RUSSIA CAR CHARGES YOU!

[happy_penguin @ Jul 23rd 2008 6:29AM]

@Dave

Three phase industrial power is a LOT different than what is delivered to your home. It means that you have three sine waves of power and each is 90 degrees out of phase with each other. You do not get anything like that with standard house power. Think of three sine waves with each successive wave shifted 90 degrees out of phase with the previous wave. That's three phase power and it packs a serious punch. Normal house power is single phase.

[Bob @ Jul 24th 2008 8:30AM]

"Toyota and Honda, are you taking notes????"

Gimme a break... **EVERYONE,** are you taking notes. There's a lot more than Toyota and Honda out there, even if you still believe that their quality is better than "American" cars. Toyota and Honda are made in the US just as much (or even MORE than) the big 3 in Detroit. The "import is better than american" attitude is a thing of the past.

[happy_penguin @ Jul 25th 2008 2:40AM]

Bob, the thing is that Toyota and Honda built very reliable cars. But so do the "Big Three". If you check the long term reliability results from JD Power last year, you'll see that there are many American brands which rank right up with and even above Honda and Toyota. I keep posting this link and I'll keep on posting it until I'm blue in the face... er, fingers:

http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2007130

Don't think that Toyota and Honda are building with more US content than the US companies. I just don't believe that's true. They all world source. It's just a modern fact of the auto industry and in fact it was by design of the Japanese manufacturers. The US just followed suit. I think where the Japanese mostly excel is with four cylinder engines (not that they don't have some great V6 and even V8 engines). But when it comes to V6 and V8 engines you can't beat the reliability and economy of many US brands. Buick's 3800 V6 is one of the best engines ever. I personally recorded 32 MPG on the highway with a Buick Lucerne (not a small car by any means) and I have owned a couple of cars with that engine. They're strong, reliable and economical.

[Eric B. @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:11PM]

DDDDDDDDDDAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMNNNN!!! That is one damn expensive, but hot and awesome, car. Agree?

[Elisha Adeagbo @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:25PM]

my thoughts exactly

[anonymouspimp @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:34PM]

I completely agree. This is a hot car.

If this company knows whats good for them, they pay whatever it takes to make this the next Bond car. lol

[OneLove @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:35PM]

Does it come with a remote control?

[Duh ? @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:31PM]

Will it blend ?

[darkstar @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:48PM]

its about time they create a SEXY electric car! something that i actually wanna own!
Tesla, thanks for setting the trend!

Toyota and Honda, are you taking notes????

[loosely_coupled @ Jul 22nd 2008 9:15PM]

@darkstar


EXACTLY! The Prius hybrid system is excellent -- now put it in a car people want to buy!! The Lexus GS 450 Hybrid is a sweet car, but it only gets 25MPG! That's great considering the ~350HP engine, but most people would rather get better mileage than have that much power.

I want to see hybrid mid-size/compact sport sedans that get 35+ MPG!

- Infiniti G35 or M35,
- Lincoln MKS
- Cadillac CTS-V,
- Honda Accord (with a *REAL* Hybrid, not that crap they were selling)
- Volkswagen Passat and Jetta
- Saab 9-5
- Acura TL/TSX
- BMW 3 series
- MB C320

WHERE ARE THE GOOD LOOKING, MID-SIZE SEDAN HYBRIDS???

[happy_penguin @ Jul 23rd 2008 6:12AM]

Toyota definitely needs to take note. The Prius is goddamned ugly. Go ahead, the low rank is the little red minus up there to the right. Fuck the Prius.

Honda Civic hybrid looks good. The soon to be Volt looks great and obviously this car looks awesome. But remember that we need real world cars for the masses. This isn't it. That's the one thing Toyota got right with the Prius. It's affordable for many. Too bad it's so fucking ugly. I can't believe people like the looks of it for all the slamming the American domestic auto manufacturers get for styling and I can't believe all the slamming American domestics get for reliability when they mostly range right along with the Japanese companies and have been doing so for many years now.

[ThePerfectCompanion @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:11PM]

Wow that looks amazing. I'd totally buy it if it ran very well and I had that much money to blow on an expensive toy like that!

[Abuzar Baloach @ Jul 22nd 2008 11:34PM]

Hmmm....

I believe you are shallow and pedantic.

[gamedude420 @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:12PM]

does it do over 200 mph? does it get above 800 miles per charge?

if no then lame.

if not its not a true sports car in that price class

[gamedude420 @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:15PM]

and i said 800 miles per charge just because that would be ideal for a days driving at a decent high speed while not getting ticketed (depends where driving) i generally drive over 90 on the interstate 80 when near cops, and over 100 when in the middle of nowhere

if they could do that then it would be worth it once they can get it priced down to about 80-90k

[Benson @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:18PM]

Oddly enough, sports cars generally can't make 200 mph. Fortunately, your ignorance is canceling itself here, as it's also not a sports car. (Nothing is a true sports car in that price class.)

Hint: It's called GT.

For a GT, your speed expectations are quite reasonable, at least. For early electric, I'd expect some sacrifice on range, but 800 miles is still reasonable.

[Benson @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:28PM]

80-90 k$ ? What are you smoking...

[jay.viz @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:44PM]

@Benson
What is called a GT?
What is not a true sports car in what price class?

Please elaborate.

[Benson @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:05PM]

@jay.vis:
Perhaps reading the engadget post (up at the top of the page) and the comment I replied to would help?

The car is called GT. It costs 0.24 M$.

There are no sports cars in that price range, making gamedude's comment that "if not its not a true sports car in that price class" somewhat laughable.

[CosterMonger @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:48PM]

@jay.viz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_tourer

[LarryLarryLarry @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:53PM]

Your pedantic arrogance, on the other hand, is completely laughable. Well done!

[teej @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:07PM]

hmmph, shallow and pedantic.

[iEye @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:12PM]

Astom Martish/Covertty look to it no?

[Sarig @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:26PM]

Yeah, I instantly thought it was an Aston Martin. Was getting ready to read about the next high-tech Bond car, but got this electric stuff instead ;)

[Bender Bending Rodriguez @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:54PM]

Ditto.

[Artie Lange @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:02PM]

I see 'Vette too, but I can't tell if that's because it does have some 'Vette styling ques, or because the Lightening badge looks like the 'Vette's badge, which subconsciouslly makes you think "Vette". I also see the BMW Z8 in there as well.

Kudos to them for actually building one; its the first "production" (if it does go to production) E-car with wheel-mounted motors. But really, charging time is not an issue for 90% of the driving most of us would do. You'd drive to work, plug it in, come out to a fully charged car, then drive home, plug it in, and wake up to a fully charged car. Quick charge times are only relevent over very long distances (200 miles +), and as such, I don't think this tech is worth the crazy premium over li-on. If I'm driving further than that, I'd rather take a train or fly, or buy a plug-in hybrid.

[Mario @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:04PM]

I would say that it's a combination of Ferarri 612 (lights), Aston Martin (middle), and TVR (back).

I'm not complaining, though. Infinitely better than basing it on a Lamborghini Diablo kit-car:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/shelby-sets-out-to-build-ultimate-aero-ev-the-worlds-fastest-e/

[john @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:29PM]

it's a ferrari 599.

http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=ferrari%20599

[r3loaded @ Jul 23rd 2008 6:30AM]

My mind immediately jumped to a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.

[Mark @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:13PM]

Yay! another electric car....Oh wait...UNAFFORDABLE...FAIL.

[Samboini @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:40PM]

Because you can afford all the other electric sports cars? Yeah, thought so.

[john romero iv @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:15PM]

vanquish-ish but uglier

[Eraxes @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:16PM]

The future is in ELECTRIC cars hands.

[9bit @ Jul 22nd 2008 5:00PM]

Is that the hands of electric cars, or the electric hands of regular cars?

[gamedude420 @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:20PM]

i like ot being able to charge in minutes though. maybe if other companies would get these batteries and improve them and ht the mass market with them the electric car could have a chanc, but it will need to equal or surpass the speed of gas powered cars.


i can see electric being worthwile in another 10 years, as long as the oil companies and government don't kill it

[andres @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:38PM]

id be more worried about ordinary people killing it. seems like theres so many misconceptions on electric cars these days

[LarryLarryLarry @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:58PM]

Pros: Super-fast charge with 3-phase power. Batteries last almost forever
Con: Half the charge-to-weight ratio of Lithium-ion. Yes, half. These batteries supply half the power of a Lithium-ion pack with the same weight.

So you can cut the travel speed in half, or the travel distance in half. Your call.

We need to move toward HIGHER charge-to-weight ratios, not lower ones.

[Benson @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:23PM]

No, aero drag predominates at speed, and that scales with the square of speed. You get half the range, or a quarter the speed.

(Or... twice as much battery pack!)

We need improvement both ways; a breakthrough in charging, traded for a 50% cut in energy density? I think that's a net win; given time and funding, the energy density will be there soon enough.

[Clarke-hater @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:04PM]

@larrylarrylarry - the figures I find on the net say "80-90%" of the charge capacity per volume. Personally, I find the need for a 20% larger battery to be inconsequential, seeing as lithium-titanate can supposedly be recharged 15,000-20,000 times, and are safe up to 250 degrees celsius (as opposed to li-ion at 140). And they're supposed to be cheaper too, once they get to the same economies of scale as li-ion.

[Aaronage @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:24PM]

Pretty nice!

Would be nice to see this get tested on Top Gear, i'll watch out for it :)

[kjb434 @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:32PM]

Top gear will laugh at this, it doesn't run on petrol.

[w00t @ Jul 23rd 2008 5:45PM]

If it's ever featured they'll just release the accellerator after a few meters and say "OH NO IT'S RUN OUT OF POWER" then set it on fire while everybody laughs....

Then go back tearing around in petrol powered cars we'll never own for our amusement while shouting 'POWERRRR' :)

[cduran01 @ Jul 22nd 2008 4:25PM]

Keep em coming, this is where it starts. All good technologies start at the high end and works its way down.

Think of it this way, before Ford introduced the Model T in the US do you think cars were cheaper than horses? Most people used horses and bicycles because cars were rich people toys.