Lightning sparks at London

Crowd pleaser or motoring teaser?

You'd have to have cold blood running through your veins not to get excited at the prospect of a 700+bhp electric car that can sprint to 60mph in 4.0 seconds. And that's exactly what Lightning is claiming its GT can do. All you need to achieve that is a mains socket, the Lightning GT running purely on electricity.

Stand out features?

Most of the electric cars on show at ExCeL look like escapees from a melted bathroom furniture factory; not so the Lightning GT - it's a beautiful car. With lines to rival Jaguar's XK or even an Aston Martin, the Lightning is a seriously good-looking car. The Lightning's electric motors are in the wheels, and its battery system is able to operate in temperatures as low as -30 degrees C. Lightning promises you the option of bespoke interiors and even body modifications if you wish, meaning you can have exactly the car you want and drive it with a clean green conscience.

Showroom soon or never to be seen?

It's difficult to say; the people at Lightning are taking deposits now for the car. As with all low volume producers all the talk of production is very confident, whether the reality is quite so impressive remains to be seen. We hope it is, as if this is the future of green motoring we're all for it.

Kyle Fortune