Posted on 01/02/2009 12:16:25 PM PST by Red Badger
HETHEL, England British sports car maker Lotus will build a battery-powered performance car, according to a Thursday report in the Financial Times.
The technology used in the Lotus car will be similar to that in the Chevrolet Volt, with a fuel-powered range extender that works after the battery charge has depleted. The car is reportedly expected to achieve 300 to 400 miles on a single tank of gas.
The Financial Times quoted chief executive Michael Kimberley as saying: "Don't be surprised to see an electric Lotus shortly. We are working on the technologies that will go behind it."
Lotus already has some experience with electric cars. The company currently builds bodies for the Tesla Roadster, which is based on the Lotus Elise, and has also consulted with Chrysler on a Dodge electric vehicle.
The Lotus electric will likely compete with the Tesla Roadster and the Fisker Karma. Fisker Automotive has said its Karma plug-in hybrid will go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Inside Line says: Another boost for alternative technologies from performance cars. Eric Tingwall, Correspondent
Electric Lotus Ping!...........
chinese are alredy doing it
well whatever passes for a car but still
A Plug-In Hybrid Goes on Sale, in China
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/a-plug-in-hybrid-goes-on-sale-in-china/
For those of you keeping score, BYD Auto has beaten General Motors and Toyota in bringing a plug-in hybrid to market. The Chevrolet Volt goes on sale at the end of 2010. Toyota is planning a plug-in hybrid, also for 2010.
If people (Democrats) want to start talking about building a lot of nuclear power plants, then I'm willing to talk about electric cars. Until then, these cars are boutique novelties.
THAT don't look anywhere near as good as :
My 5 cyllander pick up truck gets 300 miles a tank now, and I get to go off road (4 wheel drive), and carry things in the bed.
Doesn’t sound very promising, to me.
And ... As long as they can keep the UAW away from it ... they might even become ... PROFITABLE!!
The BYD could not survive a head on collision with a kitten much less another vehicle.
The Chinese have built an electric car with a 60 mile range. Those have existed for a very long time. What we’re talking about is a USEFUL car.
Goodbye Tesla. Goodbye Lotus.
What truck has 5 cylinder engine?.............
Five cylinder truck? Who makes (made) it?
And Lotus, along with the rest of the British auto industry, has long been at the forefront of automotive quality......
And dental technology............
He might have a Volvo engine...........
Chevy sells one. Its an inline 5, obviously.
I googled “i5 engine” and apparently GM makes one.
A Chevy Colorado I drove had it. Didn’t believe it at first, thought the guy trying to sell it was off his rocker. I thought the outside of the truck looked great but the interior of the truck was cheap as hell.
Thanks, I actually learned something new from that.
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