Lithium Technology Corporation (LTC) is out to demonstrate the wide range of vehicles its batteries are suited for. A Gumpert Apollo, configured as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) for the HHF Hybrid Racing team, used a 9 Kwh version of their Gaia battery to cross the finish line with during the recent contesting of the Nurburgring 24 hour race. Well, maybe "contesting" is a bit strong since the team finished about 150 places below the top spot and their fastest lap of 9.24.885 is only slightly quicker than what Miley Cyrus could probably manage in her custom Smart.

As with any new technology with little pre-race testing, there were some powertrain issues to grapple with, though they did finish and that alone says a lot. The battery has already proven itself a capable race competitor with its integration into the record-setting Thunderstruck electric drag bike. To learn more of the Lithium Technology Corporation and the Hybrid Racing teams recent effort, hit the jump for a press release.

Click to view more of the Gumpert Apollo in hi-res

Endurance sportscar racing continues to lead the way in green motorsports, as independent German automaker Gumpert prepares to campaign a hybrid version of its Apollo supercar at the upcoming 24-hour race at the Nurburgring next month. Known as "the green hell," the Nurburgring Nordschleife makes a rather fitting debut for the hybrid race car.

The Apollo hybrid will use a 100kW electric motor – charged under braking – to supplement the gasoline-burning 630hp twin-turbo V8, and will be driven by former F1 pilot Heinz-Harald Frentzen alongside Dirk Muller. Gumpert noted that with the upcoming kinetic energy recovery system being instituted in Formula One and its star F1 driver, it hopes to spur the development of green racing when the hybrid Gumpert lines up on the grid on May 24 alongside such alternative-energy racers as the Audi R10 TDI and Peugeot 908 HDi. View the images in the gallery by clicking the thumbnails below and read the press release after the jump.