The Morgan LIFEcar (Lightweight Fuel Efficient Car) was a zero-emission concept car unveiled by the Morgan Motor Company at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. It was designed to demonstrate that environmentally friendly vehicles could still be high-performance, luxury sports cars.
Posted by Venkie2Maybach@reddit | WeirdWheels | View on Reddit | 23 comments
Instead of a traditional internal combustion engine, the LIFEcar used a fuel cell to convert hydrogen into electricity.
It featured four separate electric motors, one located in each wheel, providing specialized power distribution.
The car utilized regenerative braking and ultra-capacitors to store energy during deceleration, which could then be released for quick bursts of acceleration.
The prototype was built upon a modified version of the Morgan Aero 8 aluminum chassis, maintaining Morgan's signature retro-modern aesthetic.
It aimed for a range of approximately 200 miles on a single tank of hydrogen while remaining lightweight to maximize efficiency.
The project was a collaborative effort involving several British partners, including Oscar Faber, Cranfield University, QinetiQ, and Oxford University, supported by funding from the UK Department of Trade and Industry.
While it remained a prototype and never entered full production, it served as a significant research platform for future electric and alternative-fuel development at Morgan.
ceelose@reddit
Was the stick to hold the roof open the final design?
Shiggens@reddit
Ah yes, the stick remains a mystery.
SlickDillywick@reddit
What’s the point of a Morgan if termites can’t eat your chassis?
DaveB44@reddit
You're going to need a tough breed of termite to eat a Morgan chassis!
The body frame is a different matter, however, as they use wood for that. . .
Cleanbriefs@reddit
That’s why Americans banned wood in car frames
Omegalaraptor@reddit
Will.i.am lookin ass car
Miguel-odon@reddit
The outside is f***ing beautiful.
The inside appears unfinished?
Curious-Hope-9544@reddit
With the, uuuh "canopy" removed it very much looks like a 1930's take on the Dodge Viper.
Yo-Yo-Ha@reddit
So, can it be removed to be a convertible.
Alarmed-Ferret4107@reddit
Right because everyone knows Morgen drivers are a very innovative bunch who love changes
Busy_Cry1631@reddit
You say that, but Morgan has kept its faithful onboard even with the all new metal chassis.
Dieterdost@reddit
No mirrors, no rear view.
Viharabiliben@reddit
What’s behind doesn’t matter.
AgeNo9436@reddit
Seating aside, this design has serious Batman TAS vibes.
bodyarmourbynokia@reddit
I, too, hate my spine.
Zakmackraken@reddit
I remember thinking they completely nailed this design, it’s the perfect Morgan of the future. They used elements of this in a new one, the Aero 8, but it had inward facing front lights that looked wrong from every angle.
AdjunctFunktopus@reddit
The first series Aero 8s had VW NewBeetle headlights, just on the opposite sides, giving the cross eyed look.
In 2005, they switched to new Mini headlights, which were somewhat better.
bucket_of_frogs@reddit
I just wish Morgans would look like Morgans again.
Neat_Welcome6203@reddit
And then a year later, the world was introduced to this. Probably the most important demonstration that environmentally friendly vehicles could be high-performance, luxury sports/sporty (depends who you ask) cars.
RIP. How the brand has gone downhill in these past years
LordClaranceMcDonald@reddit
The two guys who owned it previously were named Ace & Gary.
What a great car, friend of friends!
Wade1217@reddit
My body hurts just looking at the seats. 🩼🩻
Curious-Hope-9544@reddit
It's always funny when someone takes the "concept" part of concept cars just goes completely buck wild. Like, I get that you're a designer, but why even bother with something like this?
Willing_Big194@reddit
Stunning!