Today, the Lightning car company of the UK introduced a new electric supercar, in many ways similiar to the Tesla Roadster. There are two great things about the new entrant.

First, it has absolutely stunning styling - it looks like those absolutely stunning long-hooded Jaguar XK coupes you still see floating around and falling apart.

Second, you can charge it in an instant - under 10 minutes - which is a huge advantage compared to the multi-hour charge regime required by the Tesla.

But there are two little problems.

First, the price of 120,000 pounds seems in line with the Tesla's 110,000 US dollars ... until you realize a UK pound is worth about $2. So the LIghtning costs a whopping $240,000. Ouch.

Second, the ten minute charge is only if you have 480 volt three phase power, which you have in your home only if it's one of those giant compounds on ten acres in the Malibu hills. Alas, if you have a more normal 110 or 220 volt service, a charge will take about as long as a Tesla.

The company wants to offer public charging stations in Tesco stores, but given that their car is $240,000 it doesn't seem like the company wouod be interested. (Tesco is a large-scale grocery chain, a bit classier than Wal*Mart but the same basic idea.)

So this looks like a very interesting entrant into the elite electric car stakes. I wish both them and Tesla the best.

Filed under: tesla, lightning, electric car, and sports car

This clip, from WGBH's NOVA, shows various electric car alternatives including Click and Clack's sadly brief drive in a Tesla Roadster.

For those who are not aware, the Tesla is the world's first production electric sports car, an amazing feat of derring-doo and engineering. Over a year late, Teslas are only now starting to dribble off the assembly line in agonizing slowness, but at least they are coming.

The film seems to have been back in the good old days when Martin Eberhard was in charge, since he is featured and it looks like both Martin and the Brothers were driving prototypes.

Filed under: tesla motors, sports car, click and clack, wgbh, and tesla