In 2006, The Lightning Car Company set out to develop electric technology for a luxury British sports car with a view to creating a super car with outstanding presence, power & performance.

Powered by NanoSafe™, the electric Lightning GT, features an impressive 700 bhp powerful acceleration and a top speed capability of more than 130mph. In short, the electric Lightning will be a difficult proposition to beat.

By combining classic, British sports car design with racing car technology and state of the art battery power & electric motor innovation, the Lightning has been designed and developed in the UK with exhilarating performance front of mind.

Whilst its head-turning looks will appeal to the most discerning of drivers, unlike other sports cars the Lightning is also easy on the conscience. With virtually no polluting emissions, this energy-efficient car will use clean technology for the ultimate green rating. Following production of several Lightning petrol prototypes, the electric Lightning GT, Sports and Extended Range versions are now available to pre-order.

THE ELECTRIC LIGHTNING - TOP 10 FEATURES

√ Ultra smooth 100% electric power (700+bhp) immediately from zero rpm
√ 10 minute charge time for over 250 miles of motoring (GTSE model)
√ Uncompromising performance with 0-60mph in less than 4 seconds (GTS model)
√ State of the art NanoSafe™ battery system and Hi-Pa Drive™ electric motor technology
√ Full regenerative braking so the battery receives charge every time you slow down, travel downhill or simply coast
√ Commanding presence of carbon fibre/Kevlar hand-crafted bodywork
√ Clean technology means no congestion charge or road tax and the ultimate A grade green rating
√ Phenomenal economy up to 10 x cheaper to run than petrol
√ Safer with no large fuel tank, thermally stable batteries and a bodywork structure similar to that used in F1 to protect the driver
√ Luxury spec. interior – incorporating sat nav, ipod interface and virtual engine sound

MORE ABOUT ELECTRIC LIGHTNING TECHNOLOGY

NanoSafe™ from Altairnano Inc.
Until now, battery technology has hindered electric vehicle innovation. In 2000, US company Altairnano Inc. established a research programme to create an ultra safe, high power battery using cutting-edge Nanotechnology. The result of their hard work is the NanoSafe™ battery.

SAFER - NanoSafe™ batteries use nano titanate materials instead of graphite which makes them far more thermally stable - there are no toxics or heavy metals used in NanoSafe™ batteries.

LONGER-LASTING - NanoSafe™ batteries have a life expectancy of 12+ years, versus the 3-5 year life of other batteries. NanoSafe™ can retain up to 85% charge capacity after 15,000 charges.

FASTER CHARGE - NanoSafe™ batteries can be recharged in approximately 10 minutes, rather than the hours required by many other rechargeable batteries.

MORE POWERFUL - With instantaneous power even at extreme temperatures, NanoSafe™ batteries deliver power per unit weight and unit volume several times that of conventional Lithium-Ion batteries.

Hi-Pa Drive™ from PML Flightlink Ltd
Hi-Pa Drive™ is a real revolution in motor technology and it’s a British innovation to boot! With its integrated motor and drive electronics in one single unit it produces an ultra high power density - up to 20 times more than conventional systems.

The compact, energy-efficient, electric wheel motors 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
Other features include total weather proofing, total energy transfer and several levels of redundancy, so any single failure will not prevent the vehicle from operating safely.

Carbon fibre/Kevlar® composite technology in association with Amber Composites and Technical Resin Bonders
The Lightning bodywork will incorporate aluminium honeycomb crushable impact cells. This composite monocoque structure uses the same technology that is used in Formula 1 motor racing to protect the driver. This material will be used in the front, rear and sides of the car s well as around the battery area

Regenerative braking
Upon braking, the car's kinetic energy is converted to heat through friction - throwing away the energy that was previously used to accelerate. In city driving, about 30 percent of a typical car's engine output is lost to braking.

When an electric vehicle is decelerating, it does not create friction and useless heat in order to slow down. Instead it reverses its electric motor turning it into an electric generator, creating electricity which is fed back into the battery and stored for future use. In fact any time an electric vehicle decelerates it causes the system to use the vehicle's momentum to generate electricity.

In June 2007, The Lightning Car Company announced its intent to develop electric technology for a luxury British sports car – the Lightning GT. Today sees the unveiling of its evolutionary design. This super car with its outstanding presence & performance is set to put British sports car innovation well and truly back on the map. Designed to accommodate the latest battery and motor technology and reflect its 100% electric power and performance, the electric Lightning prototype is being hand-built by a small team of passionate British engineers, designers and collaborators.

Whilst the rest of the automotive world engages in the hybrid, hydrogen or electric debate, the Lightning Car Company firmly believes its 100% Electric Lightning GT will help kick start the market for performance EV’s. Without a significant positive shift in perception, electric motoring will remain a huge compromise in the eyes of driving enthusiasts and therefore fail to impress the masses. Our vision is shared by the world's biggest car maker, General Motors, who believes the global oil supply has peaked and a switch to electric cars is inevitable…

The design team has created a successor to the petrol Lightning GT. Combining the spirit, heritage, individuality and drama of the original car with a dynamic and contemporary design language moves it into a new era and, in doing so, embraces the new technologies and innovative architecture that reside beneath its skin. Subtle creases, positive and negative sections add a sense of strength and finesse to the dramatic surfaces of the car while retaining an understated, yet distinctive British Grand Tourer aesthetic. The Lightning’s interior will also be designed to complement the unique electric driving experience.

With the build of the prototype well underway, we should see how this translates into the ‘real thing’ during the second half of 2008. The electric Lightning GT and Sports versions are now available to pre-order and deposits of Ł15,000 are being accepted.

The Lightning Car Company, the British developer of The Lightning electric Grand Tourer supercar, today announces its intention to raise approximately Ł15.5 million (before expenses). The funds will be invested in completing the final two phases of the Company’s evolution, programme development and technical validation, taking the Lightning to full production as early as Spring 2012.

TLCC was founded in early 2007 to brand, design and build a luxury electric supercar in the high margin, lower volume Grand Tourer (“GT”) segment, currently overlooked by major manufacturers. The Lightning GT was conceived to bring together classic British styling with world leading engineering under an evocative “made in Britain” brand that sets a new benchmark for luxurious design, build and performance. Once fully established, the Company will be the first new British prestige automotive marque for mainstream production in Britain since the 1940’s.

The Lightning combines high end performance and a real world operating range with a luxury finish. The initial rear wheel drive launch car, driven by a German sourced powertrain with twin inboard-mounted electric motors, will deliver 400 BHP, with an acceleration of 0-60mph in under 5 seconds and a governed top speed of 125mph, making The Lightning one of, if not the fastest electric vehicle on the market. Advanced 44kWh Lithium Titanate batteries provide a touring range of over 150 miles, which can be boosted to 225 miles with an optional range extender.

The prototype Lightning was launched, to critical media and industry acclaim, in the summer of 2008 at the British Motor Show by a small start-up team of automotive design, engineering and marketing experts. The Company has since grown as an Automotive Design Engineering and Prototype Technology Studio that is bringing together a highly experienced UK automotive leadership team and world leading automotive partners across mainland Europe and the US who themselves have made the necessary investment to homologate, supply and build the car to the necessary prestige standards of finish. By bringing together established independent automotive partners as a project team, the Company differentiates itself from the major OEMs building electric and low emission vehicles. This dynamic partnership has already delivered a highly accelerated research, design and production schedule which the next phase of funding will further quicken. TLCC’s world leading technology partners include:

• IDIADA (Spain - data engineering and homologation);
• AGV (Netherlands - chassis and prototype building);
• Altairnano (USA – batteries); and
• Coventry-based CPP (UK - assembly, painting and finishing).

The Lightning brand itself is seen as a critical long-term value component. The name is memorable, evocative and is protected in the UK and mainland Europe as a trade mark for automotive use. The trade mark is being invested in for the long-term as a durable international automotive brand. The Company has, alongside the car build programme prioritised a brand development, registration and protection programme of the English Lightning name for relevant automotive classes in key worldwide markets.

TLCC’s collaborative approach has helped to minimise development risk, control funding requirements and enhance profit potential, for instance by avoiding the need for bespoke manufacturing facilities. Once the GT model is in production, it is planned to rapidly exploit the Lightning platform and TLCC’s flexible manufacturing model for a 4WD version of the GT. Financial risk is further offset by strong pre-marketing reservations totalling more than Ł3.0 million.

The timing for the car’s launch comes on the wave of stimulus programmes that have emerged around the world since the lead given by the Obama administration on electric vehicles (“EVs”) in 2009, delivered a major global impetus to the EV sector for low emission transport technologies. Closer to home, the UK Government is demonstrating its support for electric vehicles with a range of initiatives such as: The Plug-In Car Grant; vehicle excise duty reductions; congestion charge exemption and subsidised parking.

The Lightning will be hand built in conjunction with Coventry Prototype Panels (“CPP”) in numbers limited to 250 per annum. CPP has undertaken projects on behalf of clients such as Aston Martin, Bentley, Rolls Royce and Dutch super-car manufacturer Spyker.

Iain Sanderson, Chairman of TLCC, said: “This significant fundraising comes at a pivotal phase in the development of The Lightning and complements our strong advanced order book which has already reached over Ł3.0 million in sales value for the concept alone. We believe that the Lightning will become a benchmark in the electric performance car market. As the first new British luxury car marque for 60 years, the Lightning represents a modern day perspective on the UK car industry and how Britain can take the lead to make it a global force in the automotive industry once again.”
“Our focus on risk-sharing with leading automotive technology partners, and co-developing a flexible supply chain, has enabled us to reach advanced prototype stage in a fraction of the time and cost it would take a major OEM. With this clear and robust structure in place we are now eager to bring to production a luxury GT car that is equally desirable and innovative as it is environmentally sound.”
Brendan O’Toole, Managing Director of CPP added: "We are delighted to be working with Lightning on such a prestigious project. Coventry has a proud automotive history and we believe the Lightning car will further enhance that record."