The green sports that Morgan promised to produce three years ago, is finally set to launch this year. A team from Morgan Motor Company and a selection of universities, plus some helpful funding from the British government, have made the "zero emission" sports car a reality. The LifeCar will be hydrogen-run, fuel-cell powered electric car. Instead of emitting C02 it emits water vapour. This puts it above green cars that are run on say, vegetable fats, since even they emit carbon dioxide.
The car certainly does not seem to be lacking any fundamental sports car qualities, even if it does lack dirty emissions. Although exact acceleration will not be known till the car hits the road, it is estimated that it will go 0-60 in around seven seconds- no mean feat for a green car.
A main aim of the car was efficiency and a big part of this weight. Attempting to keep it down to 700kg meant cutting out certain luxuries such as a stereo and central locking, which may be a draw back to some customers. The lighter, the better though- the car will be able to travel 250miles on only one tank of hydrogen. Very efficient.
Three years ago when the concept was being developed, the big question for car manufacturers was how to make a car fun, fast and eco-friendly. This particular model is based on the Morgan Aero 8 Roadster, a stylish and modern take on the classic sports car. The seats are made of wood to make them lighter and the whole package is rather elegant. Morgan clearly noted the consumer interest in combining fast sports cars with green credentials and the time spent on the technology of this particular model, by some of the greatest technological minds, has definitely not been wasted. The fuel-cell technology converts electricity into hydrogen so the car could be run by responsibly produced power. It would make an excellent city car because it produces nothing but water vapour and, thanks to its technology is also incredibly quiet.
Morgan will be launching their new green car at the Geneva Motor Show, to what is set to be, very impressed audiences.
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This post was written by Rachel Archer on April 21, 2008