It's Electric

We have recuperated from the Denver Auto Show and have been busy in the shop getting the drivetrain running and designing the controls for the vehicle. In addition, we have been in negotiations regarding funding and are in the process of applying for a few Recovery Act grants.

One of the newest developments is a potential partnership with Colorado State University to develop our car around technology for advanced plug-in hybrid electric and straight electric vehicles at a base price of under $40,000.

CSU has developed a brand new 3D Cu2Sb Nano Technology battery that promises inexpensive and highly scalable manufacturing. (See photo on the right of actual nanotech battery in early development.) This patent-pending technology is exciting because the new materials and nano-tube approach resolve the issues that surround current batteries such as high costs, weight and size, and battery life of less than three years. The CSU battery will be a fraction of the price, size and weight of existing batteries, will fully charge in mere minutes with at least double the life span.

Lightning Hybrids has submitted a proposal under the Department of Energy’s Transportation Electrification Grant requesting a grant award of over $50 million for research and development of this technology and development and testing of the vehicle.

If we receive the funding our plan is to manufacture these cars in Loveland at a rate of 120 per year in 2011, 1,000 per year in 2012, and 10,000 per year by 2014. Our staff will grow from 12 to over 300 green-tech employees in that time. As with our hydraulic hybrids (which we will be producing concurrently to the electric), much of the vehicle components will be outsourced to other local companies, therefore stimulating our economy with even more local jobs.

All of our vehicles will meet standard consumer expectations for options, features, ergonomics, and driveability to achieve mass market penetration. Two electric models will be developed:

- A biodiesel-plug in electric hybrid vehicle (PHEV) with a 40 -mile all-electric range. This vehicle will be a combination parallel-series hybrid vehicle (proprietary clutch activation system) with a 1.4 liter biodiesel engine.

- An all electric vehicle (EV) with a 100-mile range and a charge time of 15 minutes.

WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please contact your State and local representatives to tell them about Lightning Hybrids and ask them to support our proposal to create a more sustainable future for our community through invention, job creation and reduction of dependence on foreign fuel.

(For more information and a full write up on the proposal please contact Bonnie at bonnie at lightninghybrids dot com.)