Friday, July 17, 2009

Q&A: Vehicle Pricing and Warranties

We frequently get questions about different aspects of LHI. I will be posting some of them here in the hopes that readers will find the info interesting or helpful.


Q: If I understand correctly the LH3 will be made available in 2010 between $39,000 to $59,000. Is this range due to the uncertainty of the final production cost or due to accessories? Also, will the company provide warranties and will the warranties be based on time or mileage?

A: The prices of the LH3 and LH4 will vary both due to uncertainity in final production cost and choice of accessories. We are hoping that production costs will come down as quantities go up, and we plan to have a lot of optional accessories depending on your needs in a vehicle. The company will provide warranties that are similar to those of vehicles currently on the market. Both the list of potential accessories and information on warranties are listed below and can be found on this webpage: http://www.blogger.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Flightninghybrids%2Ecom%2Fsolutions-vehicle-specifications%2Ehtml&urlhash=d-D5&_t=tracking_disc

Both the LH4 (four-wheels) and the LH3 (three wheels) have essentially same specifications, except where noted below.

Price: $39,000 (LH3) to $59,000
Production: 2011 (LH3) and 2012 (LH4)
Form: Four-seat compact sports sedan
Engine: 1.4 Liter 85 HP TDI diesel/biodiesel
Hydraulics: 105 HP high efficiency hydraulic pump/motor
Seven Gallon 5000 PSI carbon fiber accumulator
Supports two full 0-60 accelerations, or 7 miles steady state at 40 MPH
Estimated Charge time at idle is 1 minute
High brake regeneration efficiencies (70%)
Proven safety and scalability (fighter jets, commercial airlines, industrial equipment, etc.)
Drive Train: 190 HP (85 HP diesel engine + 105 HP hydraulic pump/motor)
Hybrid System: Parallel hybrid system
Computer controlled algorithm dynamically decides best fuel mileage scenario
Driver switchable between economy and performance mode
Efficiency: 100 MPG (clean diesel/biodiesel)
Dry Weight: 1,800 pounds curb vehicle weight
Braking: Regenerative Hydraulic braking plus ABS all-wheel discs
Materials: Carbon Fiber body, Chrome Moly and Carbon Fiber suspension, Aluminum engine
Acceleration: 0-60 in 5.9 seconds
Coefficient of Drag: 0.24
No outside mirrors (cameras and interior displays will replace the outside mirrors)
Smooth under belly pan
No front grill (Diesels run cool, allowing the radiator to be placed at the rear of the car)
Standard equipment includes:
Automatic transmission
Custom Bucket seats
Electric Heat and Air conditioning
Driver and passenger air bags
Electronic Stability Control
Power Windows/Power Door locks
5 exterior and 2 interior color options (Black, Red, Silver, White, Blue); Tan and Grey
Optional equipment:
Trunk storage rack
18" Aluminum Wheels
Heated Seats
Home charging system (electric)
Sports Hydraulic Package (0-60 in 4 seconds):
Upgraded tires and Aluminum 19 inch wheels
Upgraded Hydraulic Pump/Motor (150 HP) and accumulator
Upgraded leather seats with custom piping and logo/name embroidery
Additional Driver controls of econ/performance mode

Product Warranty
The major drivetrain system components that LHI will use will be covered by a three-year or 36,000 mile OEM warranty. This includes the engine and drivetrain, the hydraulic system as well as the emissions system. Further limited warranty coverage will be provided by LHI to achieve a total coverage of three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first for most systems and ten years or 120,000 miles for the emissions systems. This coverage of three years or 36,000 miles includes hydraulic system components that are not replaceable items (i.e. drive belts). In the event of manufacturing defects for any subsystem component, the labor components of the warranty package will be backed by Lightning Hybrids while the component manufacturer will cover the parts replacement.

The components that are covered in the hydraulic system are designed for use in industrial applications such as earth moving equipment. The hydraulic system components are designed for continuous load applications, such as 100,000 cycles during the component lifetime. The hydraulic system OEM will provide a warranty for all hydraulic subsystems for a period of two years with unlimited mileage. The hydraulic system will be further covered for another year and up to 60,000 miles by an authorized dealer and/or LHI. This warranty will cover the hydraulic system for defects in parts and/or workmanship.

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