Electric cars - latest update
A small American car manufacturer has just announced that its experimental electric car, the Lexington X1, will go into production this year. Markton Automobiles, of Detroit, Michigan, made the announcement at last month's Auto Show in Geneva.
Although there are now many electric cars on the market, so far manufacturers have not been able to produce one that can really complete with existing petrol cars. There are two major problems - speed and distance. Up until now, electric cars have been either too slow or unable to travel far enough without recharging their batteries. Markton Automobiles claim that they have overcome these difficulties with a new type of solar panel which continually recharges the batteries. The company has not given the press exact details yet, but they claim they have already tested the car successfully under all kinds of weather conditions.
A Japanese company firstly designed the engine in 2007. But over the last few years Markton has adapted the design and increased its power.
The company invited ten journalists to test-drive the new car last week.
Their reports were mainly positive, but although we will have to wait for the full test results before we know if this really is the electric car that everyone is waiting for.