The Morgan LIFECar2 - New Rendition of a Game Changing Car

When the LIFECar originally appeared three years ago, it was a hydrogen fuel cell car. Now Morgan is ready to go to production with the car and has moved to a diesel-electric hybrid for practicality and increased range.

images courtesy Morgan Motor Co.

 

by Aaron Turpen

Specs:

• Type: Diesel Electric Hybrid
• Class: 2-Seat Sport Coupe
• Manufacturer: Morgan Motors
• Propulsion system: Range-Extended Electric
• Vehicle range:1,000 miles
• Fuel(s): Electricity, Diesel / Biodiesel
• Price: £40,000
• Availability: 2011?

The manufacturer says

Following on from the rapturous response that LIFECar received, Morgan Motor Company has decided to take LIFECar from a prototype, to a fully fledged production vehicle. There have been some changes to the original brief, making the car more practical, while retaining the revolutionary features that made LIFECar unique.

Overview

The original fuel cells have been removed and replaced with a small diesel engine to provide power. This gives the Morgan LIFECar a 1,000 mile range (rather than 250) at 50 miles per gallon, while retaining many of the other specs on the original.
The car is ultra lightweight thanks to innovative components and use of a lot of aluminum for this sport coupe. It weighs in at only 800kg (1,760 pounds), has 15 miles of all-electric range, and does 0-60mph in only 7 seconds.
The styling is all Morgan and very classic. It's unusual V-top opening (rather than doors) is nothing but cool and the interior design is all class. The seats are made from composite board covered in leather and amenities are sparse to save weight.
The series hybrid drive train was developed by some of the United Kingdom's best universities while the innovative exterior and body work were developed in-house at Morgan. All materials used in the vehicle's build are as sustainable as possible and made for easy recycling.
The prototype has been shown in its original fuel cell form, but the new diesel-electric (version 2) has not been shown yet. Look for it at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

What we like

Sleek styling that is very innovative and top-notch. Nothing but the best comes from Morgan, who builds high-end sports cars for those who prefer real style and uniqueness.
Unusual build with the nearly all-aluminum construction and extreme light weight, the car shows that it is possible to have "style" and "green" in the same car.

What we don't

The price tag of course, but this is a high-end car all the way around, so it's to be expected.
Likely limited for its production run, but Morgan usually builds to order. So sales could be unlimited.

Conclusions

This unusual car is a very interesting addition to the growing hybrid population and one of the few that uses a diesel-electric drive train, which has the capability of being much more efficient than gasoline. In addition, it's very nice to look at.