(March 9, 2016) LONDON — An innovative, two-seater hydrogen cell powered car, developed and built in Wales, will be displayed at the new London Motor Show to be staged in Battersea Park in May 5-8. The Riversimple Rasa is a lightweight and highly efficient, “network” electric car powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology and the first road legal, engineering prototype is coming to the London Motor Show in the Evolution Centre.

The Riversimple car reflects the objectives of the new London Motor Show, which is to showcase, not just the wide range of exciting new cars currently available to the public, but also to provide the opportunity of promoting significant developments in automotive technology and innovation initiated here in the UK.

Riversimple explains: "We began with a hydrogen fuel cell, a manifesto for sustainable design and a blank sheet of paper.  Every aspect of the Rasa has been created and interrogated for simplicity, efficiency, lightness, strength, affordability, safety and sustainability. And the name Rasa is a nod to that blank sheet of paper — Tabula Rasa means ‘Clean slate’ in Latin.

"This first car is a two seater ‘network electric’ car, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The engineering prototype has clocked over 60 mph and has been weaving neatly through the traffic in London, as well as gliding down the country lanes of Powys."

The car boasts a carbon-fiber monocoque that weighs just 88 pounds, helping to keep the weight of the entire vehicle down to 1,146 pounds. Power comes from an 8.5-kilowatt fuel-cell stack — adapted from one typically used in a forklift — which feeds four in-wheel electric motors.

The Rasa has a top speed of 60 mph, and can reach that speed from a standstill in about 10 seconds, according to Riversimple. The company also claims a 300-mile range.

Riversimple hopes to have production cars available by 2018.

The new London Motor Show promises visitors the opportunity of seeing a wide range of cars from city cars right through to high performance supercars. Visitors can also road test the car of their choice as well as buying it on the spot. A variety of other outside demonstrations will also be staged, including important road safety initiatives designed to save lives and prevent accidents.