The ultimate electric car that can outpace a Ferrari

"Electric power has truly arrived in the performance market."
For drivers who want to be green but not boring, the new electric Lightning supercar could prove the ultimate eco-friendly boys' toy.

This emission free 130mph sports car - which has a hint of Jaguar, Aston Martin and TVR styling - can outpace a Porsche 911 or a Ferrari 575 - sprinting from rest to 60mph in under four seconds.

And though it will cost you a tingling £150,000, it is simply powered by 30 rechargeable batteries and doesn't use an ounce of fossil fuel.

The British-built two-seater 'Lightning' is fitted with four wheel-mounted motors that combine to power the car to 60 mph in under four seconds.

It develops 700 brake-horse-power - equivalent to about seven Ford fiestas.

The batteries have a range of 250 miles, take just 10 minutes to fully charge from home or on the road - thanks to 12ft cable which you simply plug into a socket.

The rechargeable nine inch high batteries - a sophisticated version of those used on the traditional milk float - form a system that the makers say will last 12 years.

The car's super-clean credentials mean it is exempt from road tax and London congestion charges.

Its designers claim the emission-free car could cost up to £10,000 less per year to run than a high-powered Audi RS4.

And the interior even comes complete with its own optional sat nav system and a dock to plug in your iPod.

A Ferrari 575 Maranello, which costs £150,000 , will reach 60mph in 4.1 seconds - the same time as a Porsche 911 Turbo S which sells for £100,000 pounds.

The Lightning, which is expected to be track tested later this year, began life as a petrol-driven vehicle so developers could come up with a suitable chassis.

Designers at the Peterborough-based Lightning Car Company eventually settled on an aluminium honeycomb and a structure drawn from Formula One technology.

The car is powered by four electric motors mounted in each of the hubs of the 20 inch wheels.

All four motors are revolutionary 'Hi-Pa Drive' units developed by UK firm PML Flightlink Ltd.

Because there are no gears - or even a gear-stick - the electric power is instantaneous, allowing the phenomenal acceleration.

The energy-efficient motors produce huge levels of torque - or 'pulling power' - but are still lightweight enough for a performance sports car.

The Lightning will also feature an advanced 'regenerative energy system', where the car's batteries are recharged by lost friction energy captured when the ant-lock brakes are applied.

Similar technology will be adopted into Formula One from 2008 when so-called kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) become mandatory.

The car also has traction control to stop skidding, electric doors and windows, and high-powered halogen headlamps.

Inside, the driver will be swathed in an all-leather or leather and alcantara interior. There's also a two piece removeable hard top.

Lightning Car Company technical director Arthur Wolstenholme said: "Ten, or perhaps even five years ago, electric power was dismissed as a poor substitute for petrol, diesel or liquid petroleum gas (LPG). But the world has now moved on significantly.

"Electric motor and battery technologies have been developed that will enable the Lightning to demonstrate 700 bhp performance over a range that exceeds some of today's petrol performance cars.'

He said:"The Lightning is intended to compete with premium market sport cars, but our electric power should outstrip the response rates, torque characteristics and driveability of most exotic performance super cars.

"Electric power has truly arrived in the performance market."

Flexing Ford Mustang Muscle with an E85 Performance Car

These days, alternative fuels are getting a boost in more places than just the environmental arena. The reason is simple: We're far too dependent on imported oil, and in the minds of many, that's becoming an increasingly urgent energy-security concern. Add in all the obvious reasons why petroleum alternatives just make sense - from emissions reductions and decreased greenhouse gases to a strategic change in buying habits that finds us spending more on fuel at home than abroad - and it's easy to see why there's so much interest out there.

The effort to bring renewable fuels into the mainstream is taking many forms. One of the most high profile is their inclusion in motorsports. Last year, IndyCar racing made its move to ethanol fuel. Now, General Motors has proposed that NASCAR do the same. With the millions of fans watching these high-profile race venues exposed to the obvious and transparent use of renewable fuels, a growing use by auto enthusiasts is a certainty.

One performance-oriented driver who has taken the leap is North Carolina resident Steve Shrader, a Mustang enthusiast who prides himself on thinking outside the box. In his quest to do something proactive to embrace an alternative fuel, he found that ethanol is not only renewable, produced in America, and better for the environment, but happily it's also 105 octane. Being a self-professed performance buff interested in getting a few more horsepower out of anything with an engine, Steve decided to explore whether ethanol was a viable option for his '99 Mustang. The result is his "Brightmare"-project car.

"Cars after the late 1980s were built to withstand some amount of ethanol content in the fuel lines," says Shrader, "and ethanol can be used in an internal-combustion engine with some modifications to the computer. I also knew that an increased fuel volume of 20 percent to 40 percent more would be required for a performance machine such as mine." He upgraded to larger fuel injectors and fuel pumps after crunching numbers for injector size and fuel pumps, with the aim of keeping as many factory parts in the car as possible.

With no fuel sensor like a factory-produced FFV, he had to improvise. He uses a tool made by SCT that allows him to re-tune the car for gasoline and either summer E85 or winter E85, since the blends change by season. After nearly a year of driving his Vortech supercharged, E85 flexible-fuel Mustang, Sharder reports no negative effects, an engine that runs better than ever, and fuel lines free of corrosion. The car is also running 11.20s in the quarter-mile at 124 mph on ethanol fuel.
Converting to E85 is great for shaving off tenths of seconds when trips are measured in quarter-mile lengths, but how about vehicles used on the road? Those modifying cars for track duty are probably not concerned with passing smog tests or voiding vehicle warranties.

Hyundai i-Blue Fuel-Cell Vehicle Gets Serious About Hydrogen

Korean automaker Hyundai is no stranger to zero emission fuel cell technology. Hyundai initially demonstrated fuel cell capability to the world by packaging FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) technology in the Santa Fe SUV back in 2000. Five years of development led to a second generation FCEV based on the Tucson platform in 2006, with power increased to 80 kW and lithium-polymer batteries added. This automaker’s fuel cell expertise has also been demonstrated at a mass transit level with fuel cell powered buses.

While utilizing the Santa Fe and Tucson did work well to forward the company’s fuel cell development program, packaging fuel cell technology into existing vehicle platforms has limitations that require engineers to accept compromises that can get in the way of optimum powertrain design. Recently, Hyundai moved beyond this with its introduction of an all-new, purpose-built FCEV concept that’s nothing less than stunning. The new Hyundai i-Blue was designed from the start to integrate the latest third generation fuel cell technology. According to Dr. Hyun-Soon Lee, Hyundai’s president of Research and Development, the i-Blue makes a tremendous leap forward for the automaker’s R&D program, with the company’s engineering team successfully designing a more compact fuel cell vehicle while retaining the safety, comfort, convenience, and driving range of a traditional internal combustion vehicle.

The i-Blue is a small “D” segment car, which Hyundai describes as a 2+2 crossover platform. Much more compact than the existing FCEV SUVs, i-Blue required significant engineering advancements. Downsizing requirements are addressed by the third generation fuel cell technology that enables placing the new and compact 100 kW fuel cell stack beneath the floor of the cabin, rather than in the engine compartment. Placement of the fuel cell and battery mass low and in the middle of the vehicle delivers an optimum 50-50 weight distribution and a low center of gravity for optimum handling dynamics.

This location frees up space in the engine compartment for greater cooling efficiencies and also allows a more cab-forward design for improved interior room. Hydrogen storage is handled by a pair of 10,000 psi tanks nestled in the frame kick-up behind the main passenger area. The hydrogen stored on-board allows a projected range of about 370 miles before refueling. Impressive, too, is the i-Blue’s estimated top speed of better than 100 mph.

Development of the i-Blue concept was handled at Hyundai’s Design and Technical Center in Chiba, Japan. Work on the third generation fuel cell technology is ongoing at the Hyundai
Eco-Technology Research Institute in Mabuk, Korea.

Visually, i-blue has a very sleek and sculpted form. According to Hyundai, the design team considered the Ying and Yang philosophy of TaeKuk, which balances opposite forces to create something new. In this case, two distinct shapes – the square and the circle – were melded to create the rhombus form of the main structure. The design is well suited for interior comfort while being aerodynamically efficient and very pleasing to the eye. As a crossover, i-Blue draws design cues from several different platforms. Evident are elements of SUV, minivan, and sporty compact car design. The leading edge clearly offers the look of the recent Hyundai Genesis concept car.

On the inside, i-Blue delivers a very high-tech cabin that’s intended to feel organic and natural. The design aims at providing a sort of jet fighter cockpit feel rather than the feel of a traditional automobile. That cockpit theme is further enhanced by the large windshield with an expanse of glass that carries well into the vehicle’s roofline above the front seat passengers. The driver sits in a deeply contoured bucket seat and is surrounded by a wraparound form that flows from the main instrument display.

The i-Blue has an aircraft inspired control yoke with touch-scroll pads so a driver can control various audio-visual systems while maintaining a hands-on-the-wheel position. Other interior innovations include a 3D heads up display (HUD) and a full surround camera system that displays exterior images on the dash for greater driver awareness. Rear seat passengers are treated to a wide and spacious cabin with seats that appear to draw their form from comfy video gaming chairs.

While not yet a drivable concept, i-Blue is a significant step in Hyundai’s fuel cell program. The company has ongoing fuel cell verification programs around the world and has been a member of the California Fuel Cell Partnership since 2000. In 2004, Hyundai partnered with Chevron and UTC to put a 32 vehicle fuel cell demonstration fleet on the road to promote FCEV technology and public acceptance. Hyundai has ambitious goals of mass production of fuel cell vehicles in the coming decade. With a concept like i-Blue, that future seems a little closer.