Lightning
GT
The
Lightning GT is an electric powered sports car from the Lightning Car Company
based in the UK. The Lightning GT mixes British sports car styling with racing
car technology and state of the art NanoSafe battery power and Hi-Pa Drive electric
motors. The stylish body is crafted from carbon fiber/Kevlar.
One
of the advantages of electric vehicles is their ability to offer maximum
available power to the wheels at any speed, unlike a petrol engine where
maximum power is only obtained high up in the rev range. To help effectivley
deliver this power to the road the Lightning GT uses electronically controlled
traction control which negates wheel spin and unbalance in the power being
applied.
Because
there is no engine, the Lightning GT has a maintenance-free motor with just a
few moving parts. Together with the control electronics and special batteries,
the Lightning GT will not need anywhere near the servicing of other sports
cars.
Much
of the technology housed in the Lightning GT was developed by companies other
than the Lightning Car Company. US company Altaimano Inc. developed the
NanoSafe batteries which have many improvements over conventional batteries.
Nanosafe batteries have a life expectancy of 12+ years, versus the 3-5 year usable
life of other batteries. NanoSafe batteries also retain up to 85 % charge
capacity after 15,000 charges. Recharges are much faster, approximately 10
minutes. NanoSafe batteries are also safer using nano titanate materials
instead of graphite which makes them far more thermally stable - there are no
toxics or heavy metals used in NanoSafe batteries.
The
compact, energy-efficient, Hi-Pa Drive electric wheel motors were devloped by
PML Flightlink Ltd. These produce unrivalled levels of torque with internal
heavy-duty tapered roller bearings that can withstand heavy radial loads for
robust use. Yet they achieve the power to weight ratio important for the
performance sports car capability of the Lightning.
