700hp Lightning GT EV on track for 2010 launch

The Lightning GT is powered by a permanent magnet brushless motor located in each wheel
Following its debut at the London Motor Show earlier this year, Britain's answer to the Tesla Roadster, the Lightning GT electric sports car, is expected to move to the next stage of development in 2009. The team behind the Lightning GT has announced that they will be producing two prototypes by the second quarter of 2009, with a view to start the first customer deliveries in early 2010.

Information at this point is scarce, and currently the car's exact specifications have not yet been finalized. Meanwhile, the company behind the project is still seeking capital from investors and an exact location for production is also still uncertain, which all means that the promised delivery date may need to be pushed back.
Some of the details we know about include a 700hp (522kW) electric powertrain featuring nano-titanate battery technology, which is enough to propel the car from 0-60mph in a flat four seconds and take it a top speed of about 130mph.

The electric drive system, dubbed Hi-Pa Drive, packs four permanent magnet brushless motors with one in each wheel. The system also allows for full traction control and regenerative braking on all four wheels independently. Due to power being developed separately in each wheel, there are no gearboxes, differentials, axles, drive shafts or propshafts in the Lightning sports car.

One of the key benefits of electric vehicles is that they have maximum available power at the wheels at any speed, unlike a petrol engine where maximum power is only obtained high up in the rev range. Officials claim charging the batteries for just ten minutes will provide up to 250 miles of driving, and at current prices driving one mile will cost just 2.5 cents.
To save weight, the car’s body is made from carbon fibre and Kevlar, and even with the full array of batteries on board the GT has a near ideal weight distribution of 48/52 front to rear. The car is also available with luxury items such as air-conditioning, satnav, and full leather trim.

More images of Toyota’s next-gen Prius leak

The new Prius will be bigger and more powerful than the current model but will have better mileage
Toyota’s next-generation petrol-electric Prius hybrid is expected to make its world debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January, however new images of the car have made their way onto the 'PriusChat' Internet forum, and have been confirmed as genuine by Toyota.

The confirmation comes by way of Toyota's own Open Road blog, where editor John F. Thompson wrote, "We thought we’d take a moment to confirm that the car shown in these unauthorized photos – at least the ones we’ve seen so far - is indeed the new Prius." That settles the matter of their authenticity, then, though there are still some unanswered questions about the 2010 Prius.

What we do know is that the 2010 Prius will look as expected, retaining its iconic shape, while the interior shots reveal a much more complicated dash, with a new telematics screen located in the center console that will likely integrate the navigation, entertainment, and fuel-economy display functions. Other differences in the new photos, compared to the current Prius, include a slightly larger body and a distinct nose and tail design. The wheelbase and track of the next-gen car are also expected to be increased slightly over the current model, though without a scaled side-by-side comparison, it's impossible to tell from photos alone.

The Hybrid Synergy Drive system will carry over largely unchanged but the current 1.5L engine will be replaced with a more powerful 1.6L unit. Power will be increased but fuel-economy will better the current model’s EPA rating of 48mpg in the city (4.9L/100km) and 45mpg (5.22L/100km) on the highway.

Toyota has done this by installing a more efficient powertrain with improved batteries for longer electric-only driving, as well as designing a lighter body though the extensive use of advanced composites in its construction.

A new battery factory being constructed in Japan will ensure there are no delays in the supply of nickel-metal hydride batteries for the new Prius, and will suffice until a lithium-ion plug-in version is released in 2010. Other updates include the possible addition of solar roof panels to help power the car’s auxiliary items such as the air-conditioning and electronic steering system.

Pricing is expected to be slightly above the current car’s $22,160 base price in the U.S. but any increase will be modest.
With Toyota’s Mississippi plant now confirmed to start building the Prius in 2010, production numbers for the new model will reportedly be increased by as much as 70% - up to 480,000 units annually – to help meet soaring demand.

More images of Toyota’s next-gen Prius leak

The new Prius will be bigger and more powerful than the current model but will have better mileage
Toyota’s next-generation petrol-electric Prius hybrid is expected to make its world debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January, however new images of the car have made their way onto the 'PriusChat' Internet forum, and have been confirmed as genuine by Toyota.

The confirmation comes by way of Toyota's own Open Road blog, where editor John F. Thompson wrote, "We thought we’d take a moment to confirm that the car shown in these unauthorized photos – at least the ones we’ve seen so far - is indeed the new Prius." That settles the matter of their authenticity, then, though there are still some unanswered questions about the 2010 Prius.

What we do know is that the 2010 Prius will look as expected, retaining its iconic shape, while the interior shots reveal a much more complicated dash, with a new telematics screen located in the center console that will likely integrate the navigation, entertainment, and fuel-economy display functions. Other differences in the new photos, compared to the current Prius, include a slightly larger body and a distinct nose and tail design. The wheelbase and track of the next-gen car are also expected to be increased slightly over the current model, though without a scaled side-by-side comparison, it's impossible to tell from photos alone.

The Hybrid Synergy Drive system will carry over largely unchanged but the current 1.5L engine will be replaced with a more powerful 1.6L unit. Power will be increased but fuel-economy will better the current model’s EPA rating of 48mpg in the city (4.9L/100km) and 45mpg (5.22L/100km) on the highway.

Toyota has done this by installing a more efficient powertrain with improved batteries for longer electric-only driving, as well as designing a lighter body though the extensive use of advanced composites in its construction.

A new battery factory being constructed in Japan will ensure there are no delays in the supply of nickel-metal hydride batteries for the new Prius, and will suffice until a lithium-ion plug-in version is released in 2010. Other updates include the possible addition of solar roof panels to help power the car’s auxiliary items such as the air-conditioning and electronic steering system.

Pricing is expected to be slightly above the current car’s $22,160 base price in the U.S. but any increase will be modest.
With Toyota’s Mississippi plant now confirmed to start building the Prius in 2010, production numbers for the new model will reportedly be increased by as much as 70% - up to 480,000 units annually – to help meet soaring demand.

Electric Cars take Center Stage at Paris Motor Show 2008

In what could be a glimpse of the automotive industry’s future, electric cars grabbed the limelight at the ongoing ‘Mondial de l’ Automobile’ (Paris Motor Show) 2008 with several automakers unveiling a slew of new hybrid electric models. Most of the models, such as Renault SA’s Z.E. Concept, are still prototypes and could be several years away from production. Others, like Daimler AG’s all-electric Smart ED have entered the test phase.

Several automakers debuted new ready-for-production hybrid electric models. General Motors Corp. plans to get ahead of the pack with its rechargeable electric Chevrolet Volt, which is slated to go on sale by late 2010. “General Motors is betting an awful lot on the Volt, and I think it’s more than just an image issue, so we are all very interested in that,” said Finbarr O’Neill, head of international operations for J.D. Power & Associates.

Honda Motor Co. also formally unveiled its new five-door gasoline-electric hatchback called the Insight. Honda promises cheaper prices for the Insight to make low-emissions technology more affordable to consumers and to make the Insight more competitive against the highly successful Toyota Prius. Honda aims to sell 200,000 of the new Insight by next year in Japan, Europe and North America.

Last week, Chrysler unveiled three electric-powered vehicles: a sports car, a four-door Jeep and a minivan, which are scheduled for release in the US in 2010. Other electric cars in the spotlight at the 20087 Paris Motor Show include Venturi Volage, Peugeot RC Hymotion4, Electric Smart Car, Pninifarina B0, Nissan Nuvu Concept, DuraCar QUICC! DiVa, Tang Hua XY08 Chika, and the Joule MPV.