Hybrid Sports Cars Are Revving Up
March 27, 2008
With Tesla Motor Car’s announcement last week that it has commenced production of an all-electric sports car, interest is rising in high-performance vehicles that use alternative power. Tesla’s Roadster, which was first introduced in late 2006, was given a passing grade on its Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and the company hopes to push about 1,200 units per year out of its factory when it achieves full production capacity sometime in early 2009. The Roadster can reach 60 MPH in less than four seconds, hit a top speed of 125 MPH and travel 220 miles on a single charge. Recharging the vehicle’s Li-ion battery pack takes about 3.5 hours. The initial 2008 production run will sport a temporary single-speed transmission, is already sold out, and the company is currently taking orders for 2009 delivery of its $100,000 babies. The initial production vehicles will be upgraded to a two-speed permanent transmission once the design and implementation for it have been perfected.
The Lightning Car Corp has also developed an all-electric Lightning GT. The vehicle’s power train can generate an estimated 700 HP and offers performance specs similar to the Tesla Roadster. The company says that the car can travel 250 miles on a charge and can hit 60 MPH in less than four seconds. The Lightning GT has body panels made of Kevlar composites and carbon fiber, 20-inch aluminum wheels and independent front and rear suspensions. Lightning is taking deposits on the production of the vehicle, but unlike the Roadster, each all-electric GT will run about $300,000.
Peugeot is also planning to race a hybrid diesel electric engine in the 2009 24-hour Le Mans. The company will place the test engine in an existing 908 and may enter the vehicle into a 1,000 km race in Shanghai, China in November 2008. The company has not indicated the expected performance from the hybrid engine, but indicated that more information would be available following the press launch of the 2008 Le Mans in June.
Comments
Got something to say?
-
Recent Posts
- Unsafe At Any Speed? NY Hybrid Taxi Plan Hits A Bump
- Technological Advances The Real Benefit Of Hybrids
- Losing Out On The Lambo Hybrid Sedan?
- Eco-Friendly Vehicles: Will They Sell Stateside?
- Automakers Face Uphill Battle On Alternative Fuels
- Toyota Pulls The Diesel And Sends The A-BAT To Bat
- Volt Tax Break Clears One Hurdle
- Diverging Visions For The Volt Mean That Nobody Gets What They Signed Up For
- Toyota Testing Prius PHEV In UK
- Domestic Battery Production Must Be A Component Of Reducing Hybrid Costs
