The Lightning GT has even yet to hit the markets (due next year with a price tag of nearly $200,000 USD), but the Lightning Car Company is already planning to release three more models. Now that’s particularly brave but with the price tag, this car has a market with those green Hollywood ecomentalists.

The “standard” GT boasts of 700 horses coming from its electric powerplant, a range of 250 miles for only 10 minutes of charging time. The car accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just 4 seconds with a speed topping 130 mph.

Chairman of the Lightning Car Company Ian Sanderson, in an interview with AutoCar, said that: “We have deposits, and we’re pushing ahead with our plans. It’s our intention that it is the first of a number of models. A limo-sized model is planned, as we think a high-end chauffer-driven car with electric power would work well for executives travelling around cities.”

Possible models for development include a smaller sports car and an SUV. They might have a lot to prove with the GT first.

The Tesla Roadster was the first electric speedy car to get showcased and had some reliability issues.

The Lightning GT electric sports car is being primed for a 2010 release, and the car is already in late stages of development and will start testing of key components by the spring of 2009. Well, Top Gear UK has had its first take on the Tesla Roadster and the Lightning GT will surely have a lot to measure up to.

Instead of having a single engine, the Lightning GT makes use of four “in-wheel” electric motors from PML Flightlink of Britain. Each motor produces 160 brake horsepower and upwards of 500 lb.-ft. of torque. This setup also eliminates the need for standard transmission systems. While the motors can stop the car directly, normal brake discs and calipers are also installed for total safety.

The manufacturers claim that it takes under 4 seconds to go from 0-60 mph, with a top speed of 130 mph. More importantly, it is said that the Lightning GT’s nano titanate batteries should last longer than Li-Ion or nickel metal hydride batteries.

The goal of the four-man development team is to produce two mules come April so that they can spend some time testing motors, batteries, and electrical control systems. The team also still needs to find investors and decide where production editions of the car will be produced.

Source: Autocar

Nearly a year since we’ve heard of the Lightning GT electric vehicle to be in the works, we can now finally bask at its full glory. While the Tesla Roadster hogged all the buzz, the Lightning Car Company just pushed on with their development and in this year’s British International Motor Show, the Lightning GT makes its debut.

Like the Tesla Roadster, the Lightning GT is one bad EV. The engine pumps out 700 horses and is capable of traveling 250 miles with only 10 minutes of charging. 0-60 is reached in just 4 seconds and can go up to a decent 130 mph.

Helping the car negotiate corners is an ABS and traction control system. The car won’t scrimp out on some luxuries too. The car with have air-conditioning, a satnav, and leather interiors. No word yet on how much the car will be priced but you can reserve one for £15,000.

Source: Lightning Car Company

Usually, when it comes to the supercar market, less known badges are compelled to have a lot to offer before they get some attention especially since Ferrari, Lambo, and Porsche are the names that get the association.

Enter the Artega GT. While a totally new brand, it carries with it some ethos rubbed off to it by designer Henrik Fisker, the same guy who gave us the sexy Aston Martin DB9. It’s a beautifully shaped sports car, broad and curved, exuding strength and elegance at the same time.

While quite wide, the car is designed with weight in mind. It uses a combination of aluminum frame with a body made from carbon fiber-reinforced materials to give it the optimum power to weight ratio and handling. Sporting a 3.6L V6 direct-injection engine, the car has enough power (295 mph) to pull the just-over-a-ton car to speeds of 170 mph and hit 0-60 in less than 5 secs. Pretty impressive coming from a V6.

The weight distribution provides optimum traction. It also integrates a stability program (Artega Stability Program or ASP), ABS, traction control and four different drive programs – Normal (ASP with early intervention, TC on), Sport (ASP with later intervention, TC on), Race (ASP off, TC on) and Off (ASP off, TC off).

What I’m not fancy about it though is the interior which features a rather crude minimalistic look. Sure it sports the usual comforts of instrumented dash and control components, climate control and media systems but the interior does seem a bit boring to look at. Still, I think it’s a great effort to challenge Porsches in their ground.

I’m still a big critic of electric cars. While I won’t deny that they would eliminate pollution and lessen reliance on fossil fuels, I just think that the technology is still too young. I still find the hybrid as the more plausible alternative for now. But hey, who am I to complain about electric cars? It’s through these development efforts that great things happen.

Remember the Lightning Car Company? They’re now working on their 2008 Lightning GT. And it’s no wuss either. It’ll sport a 700 hp powerplant, go from 0-60 in under 4 seconds, and zoom to speeds of 130 mph.

Presently seeing a good demand is another electric car company, Tesla Motors with their Tesla Roadster. So if this keeps up, we might just be seeing a new age of electric car motoring.

Source: Car Domain