Morgan LIFEcar
Encyclopedia
The Morgan LIFEcar is a fuel cell
-powered electric vehicle
project being undertaken by Morgan Motor Company
and startup company Riversimple
. The goal of LIFEcar is a sports car that will be environmentally responsible, and also deliver impressive performance. Research and development is backed by QinetiQ
, a British defence technology firm, as well as several universities, including Cranfield University
and the University of Oxford
, and government grants. Engineer Hugo Spowers
is CEO of RiverSimple and the leader of the project.
, while the Proton exchange membrane
fuel cell itself is being developed by QinetiQ
. The vehicle is planned to make use of electric motors powering each wheel
(similar to the Whispering Wheel concept). In order to deliver sufficient bursts of power to the motors, the electricity generated by the fuel cell will be stored in sophisticated capacitors. Morgan may make use of its past business ties with BMW
in order to obtain liquid hydrogen storage technology, although this remains to be seen. The design of the vehicle platform was led by Mark Reeves, with aid from his team at Morgan. It will be available legally in America in 2011.
Fuel cell
A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...
-powered electric vehicle
Electric vehicle
An electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion...
project being undertaken by Morgan Motor Company
Morgan Motor Company
The Morgan Motor Company is a British motor car manufacturer. The company was founded in 1910 by Harry Frederick Stanley Morgan, generally known as "HFS" and was run by him until he died, aged 77, in 1959. Peter Morgan, son of H.F.S., ran the company until a few years before his death in 2003...
and startup company Riversimple
Riversimple
Riversimple is a United Kingdom-based transportation company focused on producing environmentally conscious automobiles.Riversimple was founded by former motorsport engineer and racing driver Hugo Spowers....
. The goal of LIFEcar is a sports car that will be environmentally responsible, and also deliver impressive performance. Research and development is backed by QinetiQ
QinetiQ
Qinetiq is a British global defence technology company, formed from the greater part of the former UK government agency, Defence Evaluation and Research Agency , when it was split up in June 2001...
, a British defence technology firm, as well as several universities, including Cranfield University
Cranfield University
Cranfield University is a British postgraduate university based on two campuses, with a research-oriented focus. The main campus is at Cranfield, Bedfordshire and the second is the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom based at Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. The main campus is unique in the United...
and the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, and government grants. Engineer Hugo Spowers
Hugo Spowers
Hugo Spowers is a British entrepreneur-engineer who co-ordinated the development of the Morgan LIFEcar sports car project that was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2008, and the Riversimple Urban Car....
is CEO of RiverSimple and the leader of the project.
Specifications
According to news releases, the LIFEcar chassis is to be based on the powerful Morgan Aero 8Morgan Aero 8
The Morgan Aero 8 is a sports car designed and built by Morgan Motor Company at its factory in Malvern Link, England .Notable owners have included Richard Hammond of BBC's Top Gear....
, while the Proton exchange membrane
Proton exchange membrane
A proton exchange membrane or polymer electrolyte membrane is a semipermeable membrane generally made from ionomers and designed to conduct protons while being impermeable to gases such as oxygen or hydrogen...
fuel cell itself is being developed by QinetiQ
QinetiQ
Qinetiq is a British global defence technology company, formed from the greater part of the former UK government agency, Defence Evaluation and Research Agency , when it was split up in June 2001...
. The vehicle is planned to make use of electric motors powering each wheel
Wheel hub motor
The wheel hub motor is an electric motor that is incorporated into a hub of a wheel and drives it directly.-Uses in current and future vehicles:...
(similar to the Whispering Wheel concept). In order to deliver sufficient bursts of power to the motors, the electricity generated by the fuel cell will be stored in sophisticated capacitors. Morgan may make use of its past business ties with BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
in order to obtain liquid hydrogen storage technology, although this remains to be seen. The design of the vehicle platform was led by Mark Reeves, with aid from his team at Morgan. It will be available legally in America in 2011.
See also
- Fuel cellFuel cellA fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...
- Hydrogen economyHydrogen economyThe hydrogen economy is a proposed system of delivering energy using hydrogen. The term hydrogen economy was coined by John Bockris during a talk he gave in 1970 at General Motors Technical Center....
- F-Cell
- Riversimple Urban CarRiversimple Urban CarThe Riversimple Urban Car is an open source hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that is to be built by Hugo Spowers' company, Riversimple. A working demonstrator vehicle was unveiled at the Somerset House in London on 16 June 2009, and production is planned to begin by 2013.-Design:The Riversimple Urban Car...
- Honda FCXHonda FCXThe Honda FCX Clarity is a hydrogen fuel cell automobile manufactured by Honda. The design is based on the 2006 Honda FCX Concept. The FCX Clarity demonstrates electric car qualities such as zero emissions while offering 5 minute refueling times and long range in a full function large sedan...
- Venturi FetishVenturi FetishThe Venturi Fétish is the world's first two-seater electric sports car . It is produced by Venturi in Monaco, and the futuristic design of the car was done by the Parisian designers Sacha Lakic. The Fétish was first introduced in concept form at the 2002 Salon International de l'Auto...
External links
- Morgan LIFEcar Official Page
- http://www.riversimple.com/index.php/faq/35-riversimple-faq/44-morgan-lifecar (RiversimpleRiversimpleRiversimple is a United Kingdom-based transportation company focused on producing environmentally conscious automobiles.Riversimple was founded by former motorsport engineer and racing driver Hugo Spowers....
)