Solectria Sunrise Sets New EV Range Record - Again
All-composite electric car travels 375 miles on a single
charge
(Wilmington, MA) -- Solectria Corporation announced today that
unofficial
results indicate the Solectria Sunrise electric sedan powered by
Ovonic
Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries set a new electric vehicle range
record by
completing 375 miles on a single charge in the third day of racing in
the
1996 NESEA American Tour de Sol, the national solar and electric
vehicle (EV)
championship. "This success proves to the world that clean zero
emission
vehicles can provide range and performance comparable to or better
than that
of a typical gas car," commented Solectria CEO James Worden, who
is driving
the Sunrise during the race. The Sunrise, entered in the race by
the
Northeast Alternative Vehicle Consortium (NAVC), the Boston Edison
Company,
and Solectria, completed 258 miles on a single charge yesterday
during day
two of this prestigious event. Today's new record represents
greater than a
50% improvement over last year's record breaking run of 238 miles.
A total
of six electric vehicles produced by Solectria are competing in the
eighth
annual running of this road rally, which began in New York City on
May 12th,
and ends in Washington, DC on May 16th.
This race marks the second public competition of the Solectria
Sunrise, a
unique, full-size, four passenger, all-composite sedan that promises
to
revolutionize the EV industry. The Sunrise was designed from the
ground up
to incorporate the latest advances in aerodynamics, material
science, and
Ovonic Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery technology. Funding for
the
Sunrise Project, an ongoing effort to provide efficient, safe, and
affordable
high-performance EVs to the marketplace, has been coordinated by
the
Boston-based NAVC, with co-funding by the Defense Advanced
Research Projects
Agency, the Boston Edison Company, and other corporate
partners.
A Solectria Force NiMH sedan entered in the race likewise turned in
a superb
performance, traveling 244 miles today on a single charge in
mixed
city/highway driving, edging out a Ford Ecostar which completed
227 miles.
The Force NiMH also claimed the first pole position at the beginning
of the
race by winning an acceleration trial, beating the Ford EV which
placed
second. The Force NiMH sedan is the first commercially available EV
equipped
with state-of-the-art Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries
produced by
Ovonic Battery Company, a subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices,
Inc.
[OTC-ENER]. "Just a few years ago, production EVs with a range over
100
miles were unheard of. Today, we are delivering these high-
performance,
long-range vehicles to customers throughout the United States, in
Europe, and
in Asia," stated Mark Dockser, vice president of planning and
business
development.
Four more Solectria Force sedans -- America's single most popular
EV -- have
been entered, and all did well today. A 1996 model owned by Jersey
Central
Power & Light traveled 129 miles on a single charge. A 1995
model owned by
the Connecticut-based Rideshare Company went 141 miles, and a
1994 model
owned by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources covered 132
miles. Both of
these latter two vehicles received support from the NAVC, and all
three of
these cars used lead acid batteries. A 1993 Force owned by the
Virginia
Power Company and entered by the Washington, DC based State and
Territorial
Air Pollution Program Administrators and the Association of Local
Air
Pollution Control Officials, traveled 107 miles on a single charge of
its
three-year old Nickel-Cadmium battery pack. "These achievements
by our
customers demonstrate beautifully the real-world capabilities of
today's
advanced EVs," observed Solectria president Anita Rajan.
In addition to the NAVC, which is co-sponsoring three of the six
Solectria
vehicles entered in the race, other sponsors supporting Solectria's
efforts
in this event include the Boston Edison Company, the Goodyear Tire
& Rubber
Company, the Ovonic Battery Company, Sanoh Industrial Co., Ltd., and
Quin-T
Corporation.
With more than one million miles accumulated by over 200 Solectria
electric
vehicles produced since 1991, Solectria cars and trucks have proven
to be the
EVs of choice for public and corporate fleets throughout the U.S. and
around
the world. The Solectria Force and Solectria E-10 electric pickup
truck are
the only production electric vehicles that have met the rigorous
performance
and safety standards set by the nationwide electric utility industry
and U.S.
Department of Energy coordinated EV America program. A leader in
the EV
industry, Solectria has pioneered many technological innovations in
the
manufacturing of advanced EVs and EV components, including all-
electric air
conditioning and heating, and an automatic battery thermal
management system
to keep vehicle range consistent even in the worst winter
conditions.
Solectria EVs are now used by utilities, government agencies and
private
companies in thirty-five states and five foreign countries, and are
widely
recognized as the finest production EVs on the road.
A media event will take place at the Finish Line on the Mall at 3rd
Street in
Washington, DC on Thursday, May 16th from noon to 1 PM. Photos
of
Solectria's vehicles are available upon request, or may be found
at
http://www.solectria.com.
The American Tour de Sol is organized annually by
the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) of
Greenfield,
Massachusetts.
###
SOLECTRIA CORPORATION
68 INDUSTRIAL WAY
WILMINGTON, MA 01887
USA
508-658-2231
FAX 508-658-3224
Solectria Press Release - May 14, 1996
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