The Chevrolet Volt isn’t the only range extended car on its way – now Capstone Turbine Corporation will introduce its own prototype at the LA Auto Show.
Its range extended electric supercar, known as the CMT-380, is currently in the design and test phase, and is being developed in partnership with Electronic Arts Chief Creative Director Richard Hilleman. It includes a lithium polymer battery pack that supports an electric range up to 80 miles and when the batteries reach a state of discharge, the Capstone C30 microturbine comes into effect, firing up and recharging the batteries to extend the driving range up to 500 miles.
The prototype is based on a Factory Five Racing GTM body and can accelerate from 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds. It has a top speed of 150mph.
Capstone’s 30kW microturbines have previously been installed in hybrid electric buses, as well as in trolleys and transit shuttles, Thanks to a patented combustion system, exhaust emissions are kept extremely low and there is no need for expensive exhaust after treatment for the vehicle to adhere to the strict California Air Resources Board and EPA 2010 requirements.
A C30 liquid fuelled microturbine has already been integrated into a Ford S-MAX people carrier in the UK and now this hybrid demonstration vehicle is intended to showcase the technology and demonstrate value proposition of microturbines as well as electric vehicle range extenders.
