The Lightning Hybrids LH4 rolling concept car was unveiled at this years Denver Auto Show back in the first part of April. AllSmallCars.com reported from the floor of the auto show about this companies mission to revolutionize the hybrid automobile market. How are they going to do that? Well, it isn’t by using battery power; no, Lightning Hybrids LH3 and LH4 concept use a proprietary hydraulic system pressurized by a diesel motor to propel their vehicle. Today, I visited Lightning Hybrids to check-in on their progress, especially since these cars will be competing in the Progressive X Prize competition.
As you can see from the pictures they are still busy working on the cars and today they are working particularly hard. Why? Tomorrow is their open house up in Loveland and they are determined to show members of the press, auto enthusiasts and anyone interested in reducing their impact on the environment what this car can do. The working LH4 prototype uses a doner 2008 Mazda Miata for a lot of its interior and engine parts. Those of you who have been following closely are wondering when Mazda has ever sold a diesel Miata in the States or abroad.
Lightning Hybrids LH4 Running Concept
Here is your answer; one of the markets that Lightning Hybrids is going after is vehicle retrofits. This makes a certain amount of sense because their LH3 and LH4 models aren’t scheduled to be for sale to the public for another 2 years. So the founder of Lightning Hybrids has made what I think is a very smart business decision to also offer hydraulic hybrid retrofits to gasoline and diesel powered cars. This is where the Miata motor comes in; the prototype LH4 that will be shown tomorrow in Loveland will use a gasoline motor to pressurize the hydraulic drive system. This is intended to prove the validity of their claims of gaining around a 50% increase in fuel efficiency.
Check out the video below for the maiden voyage of the LH4 around the Lightning headquarters in Loveland, Colorado.
Don’t speed off yet! There are lots more exciting stories in the blog and reviews sections. You can also check out our photo gallery to see all small cars.
Have a comment? Login with FacebookConnect and leave one here on the site or drop me an email to JEMblogger at Gmail dot com.
Rivian is reportedly simplifying its battery packs. Lucid is revamping its range-topping Grand Touring trim. And is Toyota still seeing the U.S. as a key market for a compact electric SUV? This and more, here at Green Car Reports. Toyota has revealed a compact EV, called the Urban SUV Concept, for the European market. Could it be a further development of the bZ Compact SUV Concept that Toyota showed last year and suggested might also be U.S.-bound? The 2024 Lucid Air lineup starts at $78,900, in its Pure form, and restructured feature availability allows some items like the metal or glass...
GM and Pilot say their EV fast-charging network is open for business. Toyota’s FT-Se concept is looking even better with a few more details. And the Fiat 500e is back. This and more, here at Green Car Reports. Fiat has revealed 500e pricing, range, and feature details for the long-awaited...
Fewer EVs with connections to China may soon be tax-credit-eligible. EVs still make up a tiny portion of the non-luxury market, yet a plunge in the raw materials needed for EV batteries could make them more affordable. And which of this year’s new EVs are the best? This and more, here at...
The Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Nissan Ariya, and Toyota Prius Prime are the final contenders. One of these new-this-year models will be the 2024 Best Car To Buy.
New guidance suggests that EV battery components will be ineligible if from a "foreign entity of concern," such as China, or if a Chinese "parent entity" directly holds more than 50%.
