Lightning Hybrid LH4 makes its Denver debut
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Despite a rushed last-minute assembly, the team from Lightning Hybrids managed to debut their LH4 at the Denver International Auto Show. It's pretty safe to say that this is the first unveiling of a doorless bio-diesel burning hydraulic hybrid sportscar prototype to occur anywhere in
While it might seem unlikely, the company has another model in the works that could be viewed as even more idiosyncratic. Based on the same hydraulic hybrid drive technology and a somewhat similar esthetic, Lightning Hybrids has a model that will make its way on three wheels, appropriately called the LH3. This is actually the vehicle that they will commercialize first as it would have fewer regulatory hoops through which to jump. If you want to keep a closer eye on this Loveland, Colorado-based company, you can check out their website and follow them on Twitter.
Gallery: Lightning Hybrid Denver debut
[Source: Lightning Hybrid]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gorr 2:53PM (4/04/2009)
This is at least better then what is actually on the market but im affraid that if someone put on the market a gazeous hydrogen car then all cars and with it, all peoples and car bloggers except me and the saleman will look silly. Many people say that hydrogen is not ready and will be maybe competitive in 2025 or later, LOL, this is the stupidess thing of the world. What is this, petrol, then hybrid with biodiesel and batteries, then plugguable with an entire new infrastructure of electrical power outlet and batteries swapping stations and batteries recuperation after it's finnish then hydrogen become good in 2025 or maybe in year 2098, LOL.
I said and i repeat like i've done before the bible to separate the water molecule for free fuel without pollution for the endless time to come, around 300 billions years and probably more here or in paradise.
you accepted like me to live in biology, so stick with it and don't argue anymore about water. You're deeply sick and big-oil and bush and barack and gm and toyota is cashing in astronomical sums of dollars(pain) to lauph of you. You directed their no-non sence toward me and no hydrogen gas car are for sale near where i live. Im sick of the sicks.
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Nick 4:51PM (4/04/2009)
Free hydrogen??? Hydrogen is not free, it takes a lot of electricity to 1) separate it from water 2) store it 3) transport it.
Hydrogen has absolutely no future. Get over it.
Tohe 5:55PM (4/04/2009)
I agree ... leave the hydro for Aquaman lol.
polo 1:05AM (4/05/2009)
gorr, if you know how to make free, easy, hydrogen then share it with the world.
Because as it stands, hydrogen is not free, it takes huge amounts of energy, and the primary source is steam-treated natural gas, which results in a 60% energy loss.
Hydrogen is a trojan horse used by the oil lobbies to ensure oil dominates for at least another 30 years. They own the natural gas fields and they profit if we ignore all alternatives until hydrogen cars are affordable (if that is even possible). Hydrogen = oil cartels. Why do you think T-Boone Pickens wants everyone to switch to natural gas to power their cars? Because natural gas exists in the same oil fields the oil companies own. If people switch to hydrogen they'll continue to profit by selling the (steam-treated) natural gas, which again, is the primary source for hydrogen.
Lad 3:25PM (4/04/2009)
So you have the Hydrogen and suppose you can make it cheaply. Now how do you get it to move the car? The final drive unit will be an electric motor driven by a fuel cell or an ICE mechanical drive unit. The fuel cell is way too expensive and the ICE is way too ineffecient. Might as well carry up to 500lbs of batteries and plug in.
Right now it takes a trunk fully of high pressure hydrogen to carry you the same distance you can go on three gallons of gasoline and if you want a fuel cell, prepare to sell your house. The two current ways to manufacture H2 is electrolysis and reforming fossil fuels; H2 is not found free in nature. Both methods require far more energy in than the amount of potential energy in the output product, far, far more!
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Ligor 8:26AM (4/06/2009)
dude have some optimism
research takes time adn one day someone will accidentally discover a way to make H2 production efficient
as far as the high pressure tank, well maybe one day someone will be able to come up with a reaction to break fossil fuels into carbon and H2, we can use the H2 and the Carbon (as long as it is not into a gasious form liek CO2) will be just a solid deposit (which today we call coal)
Lynx_pt 6:06PM (4/04/2009)
C'mon, more hibrids? This is THE REAL Lightning I wanna see one day on the roads,
http://www.lightningcarcompany.co.uk/
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Chris M 7:36PM (4/04/2009)
Yeah, having two different new car companies with the same name is bound to cause confusion, sooner or later one of them will have to make a name change or go out of business. Since the British electric "Lightning" was first to incorporate and will probably be first to market, I'd strongly suggest that this hydraulic hybrid "lightning" company should come up with a new name, and soon.
Or it might turn into a moot point as both "Lightnings" could go out of business - the British Lightning is too expensive, and the hydraulic Lightning needs too much development work and may be undercapitalized.
Lynx_pt 8:00PM (4/04/2009)
I agree with you Chris. However as an electrical and computer engineering student I prefeer by far the UK Lightning :P Yes it is expensive but it haves 700 bhp, so it plays on the Lamborghini and Ferrari leage.
Let's hope they survive, because I believe the future is electric, BEVs for the win ;)
polo 1:05AM (4/05/2009)
Whats the point of this? Are they going to be selling it anywhere? They need to forget about the hydrolic/diesel/biofuels and make this an EV. Who wouldn't buy one these if they had a moderate range and price around or under $30K?
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josh 1:02AM (4/06/2009)
Can anyone honestly look at that thing and think "ya, that's a car i want to drive"? Electric cars from unheard of companies don't need to like they're from another planet. They need to look either good (like a lotus) or practical (like a corolla). Not like a tumorous banana that some 8 yr old took a silver spray can to. And those rims! They just don't get it.
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montoym 8:19PM (4/06/2009)
You're not far off with your description. I saw this in person yesterday and was not terribly impressed. I was talking to my cousin about it with the knowledge I've gathered about it from here. Basically, I think their idea is sound(maybe not 100mpg sound), but it could be quite efficient. However, they need to put it all into a much more "normal" body. For one, at least add doors instead of a canopy.
Plus, rushed or not, the build quality of the body mock-up was not very impressive at all. You can gather some of that from the pics, but it was even worse in person.
Bill 12:07PM (4/06/2009)
Styling inspiration, perhaps?
http://imcdb.org/images/202/648.jpg
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