London debut for 700HP GT EV

The Tesla Roadster has had next-to-no competition in the market for high-powered electric sports cars but that’s about to change as the UK’s Lightning Car Company has announced that its 700hp (522kW) all-electric GT will make its global debut at the London Motor Show on July 23. The company first started taking orders for the car late last year and will soon be ready to start deliveries of its first vehicles.

Powering the GT is a new 700hp 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 developing at least 120kW in each wheel and features full traction control and regenerative braking on all four wheels independently.

American rival Tesla Motors has had some major issues with the transmission system in the Tesla Roadster in months following up to their planned release date, however Lightning should have no such problems. 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.