Morgan Lifecar and Geneva show stars

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

28 February 2008 13:49

Morgan will line up at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show with its most impressive range of cars ever. The Lifecar concept, the first production AeroMax, a revised Aero 8 and a new 4/4 will all feature.

The Lifecar is easily the most technically impressive. The tiny Malvern-based company, which only produces around 700 cars per year, has built its own hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.

With a little help from some friends. QinetiQ makes the four-stack hydrogen fuel, and Cranfield University has developed the electrical management systems.

The fuel cell is designed to run optimally at cruising speed – 20 percent of peak power according to Morgan – and is thus apparently lighter and cheaper than a conventional fuel cell. The only emissions are water, heat and 22kW of electricity, which makes the fuel cell 45 percent efficient, compared to about 30 percent for a traditional petrol engine.

Power is directed to four electric motors which provide drive directly to the wheels. Morgan claims the motors are also able to recapture up to 50 percent of such energy, and reckons current applications only managed ten percent. The regenerative braking system can provide stopping power equivalent to 0.7g, and Morgan claims the switch at low speeds between the regenerative brakes and conventional hydraulic brakes is seamless. If this is true then credit too them: it’s a problem Porsche has been having with the Cayenne Hybrid.

Click 'Next' below to read more about the Lifecar concept

By Ben Pulman