Last year the silent all-electric Tesla Roadster raised a few eyebrows. More than 400 people put money down for this silent sports car that goes from 0 to 60 in four seconds and travels up to 200 km/h (with a price of $90,000). They may be regretting their decision now that the newest bad-boy in the green speedster world has been introduced. The 2007 Mullen L1X75 is a battery-powered beast threatening to eclipse the Tesla, as the most exciting and fastest electric vehicle.
A different approach
Most of the prototype electric sports cars, including the Venturi Fetish, and AC Propulsion’s tZero, were deliberately planned as high-performance electric sports car. But the Mullen Motor Company of Los Angeles took a different approach.
Although Mullen has been modifying V-8 gas burning high-speed racecars since 1966, it didn’t want to develop an EV (electric vehicle) on its own. Instead, Mullen president Arthur E. Allan approached Hybrid Technologies. They couldn’t have chosen a better partner since Hybrid already manufactures electric smart cars like R-cars and PT Cruisers. Project engineer, Ron Cerven is also a stock car racer with his own race car team and has won over 100 car racing awards. He still holds a track record in a raceway in California.
Improving an already great product
The two companies began with the gas-powered Mullen GT, which has been available for a few years. Forbes Magazine recently dubbed this car, with its hand built body and chassis with a Corvette engine, as the seventh fastest production car made in the U.S. Once converted from gas to electric, Mullen and Hybrid found the GT’s performance improved drastically: 0 to 60 in 3 seconds.
One fast ride
The final product, the L1X75, was unveiled at the spring 2007 New York Auto Show. Steps to lighten the vehicle’s weight to ensure optimal performance included making the entire body out of a carbon fiber composite instead of steel. Replacing the traditional lead-acid batteries with the new Lithium-Ion batteries gave the L1X75 a range of 100 miles per charge. The one drawback is the eight hours needed to recharge the battery but a rapid charging system is not far off as many companies are tackling the same problem.
This is one quiet and lightweight ride. But buckle your seatbelts because the Mullen L1X75 doesn’t come cheap. The current price tag is $125,000 USD. The company is currently taking orders.
Green Living Blogs
