Wednesday 9 March 2011

Was 'The Lightning Car Company' the answer for Anglesey?

Much is being made; by the Anglesey Conservatives, of a meeting back in September 2009 where the possibility of a start-up car company moving to Anglesey was discussed. See today’s Holyhead and Anglesey Mail.

The company involved 'The Lightning Car Company' hope to manufacture their first production car in 2012, at a cost to you of £150,000.

It is a powerful electric car, based on their previous model of the Lightning "that was powered by a conventional Ford Mustang, which first appeared at the 1999 Earl's Court Motor Show, where it attracted 20 orders. The project was then put on hold, although seven pre-production cars were built, all of which still exist."

You can read more about the merits of the car in this Daily Telegraph report from September 2007.

It is interesting to note that the meeting on Anglesey took place well before the company attempted to attract major investment in the project, see press release from 24 October 2010.

The UK has a fine tradition of small niche car manufactures, and of developing new concepts, and whilst we should offer our full support, we need to be realistic.

At the bone, small independent car manufactures can never compete with the large multinationals. A number of whom are either producing or will produce in the near future sporty electric cars i.e Tesla Motors

The Lightning Car Company hopes to enter production in 2012, but seeing that even their website is still under development I sadly would not hold my breath.

It seems to me that the possibility of the company opening a factory on the island was far from a certainty that some people make it out to be.

See also:
Autoblog-green Lightning's electric GT entering late prototype phase; production set for 2012

* Updated to correct spelling mistakes with thanks to commentator twice struck

1 comment:

twice struck said...

You mean Lightning.