Hydrogen-Powered Lifecar Set to be Unveiled at Geneva Motor Show

lifecar
Image courtesy of Morgan Motor Company

Another day, another sleek new hydrogen-fueled concept car unveiled: this one, the Lifecar, is a £1.9m joint project between the British government and Morgan Motor Company - we first reported on it here - that promises to be the ultimate "green" sports car. It will be officially rolled out at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, which will be held from March 6 - 16.

Inspired by the design of the Morgan Aero-8 roadster, the Lifecar boasts a top speed of nearly 100 mph and a maximum range of 250 miles (400 km); according to Morgan boss Matthew Parkin, the futuristic car should be able to do 0-60 mph in 7 seconds. It comes equipped with the latest fuel cell technology from UK firm Qinetiq - the lightweight cells produce 22 kW, about one fifth of the amount of power of a conventional combustion engine.

Its advanced regenerative braking system, which helps restore roughly 50% of its kinetic energy, powers a set of ultra-capacitors aligned down the center of the car. To maximize its efficiency, the car has an aluminum chassis and wooden interior - the goal is to get the Lifecar's weight to 700 kg. On the down side, it lacks many of the features commonly found in most luxury, let alone middle-of-the-road, cars, such as central locking, a stereo system or airbags.

The Lifecar, still in its concept stage, may yet hit the assembly line in the near future; Morgan's Parkin didn't rule out going into production, though he noted that he would first need to gauge the reaction at the Geneva Motor Show.

Via ::BBC News: Green sports car set for launch (news website)