EUGENE, Ore., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Light Electric Vehicles Company
(LightEVs) announces the signing of a world-wide Exclusive Technology
Agreement with EEStor, Inc. of Cedar Park, Texas to provide electric vehicles
and propulsion systems using EEStor's Electric Energy Storage Units (EESUs)
for the two- and three-wheeled vehicles markets. Carl Watkins, President of
LightEVs, said, 'We have watched EEStor continue to make progress in proving
their ability to produce ultra-high performance multilayered barium titanate
ceramic capacitors in production quantities. They have met or exceeded each of
their technology milestones, as verified by outside laboratories, and the
remaining steps all utilize well established industry techniques.' EEStor's
EESUs are expected to be highly configurable for shape, size, and power, and
offer a breakthrough level of performance and price compared to existing
battery technologies, including lithium iron phosphate.
EEStor EESUs are expected to provide over 450 watt hours per kilogram and
over 700 watt hours per liter, charge in minutes, and, for all practical
vehicular purposes, last indefinitely. By comparison, lithium iron phosphate
batteries provide about 100 watt hours per kilogram and 170 watt hours per
liter. Unlike electrochemical batteries, EESUs should not break down from use
or time during the life of a vehicle. They are expected to deliver high
current without loss of efficiency or excess heat, and they should operate at
optimum efficiency over a wide range of ambient temperatures. They will be
configurable for any output voltage that optimizes vehicle performance, and
will maintain that output voltage at a constant level over the span of each
discharge cycle. Production is expected to start mid 2009.
LightEVs expects to offer a variety of electric propulsion systems for use
in electric bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, and three-wheeled vehicles in
partnership with existing manufacturers and under its own brands. John
Stephens, Executive Vice President, said, 'We expect to provide performance
characteristics exceeding those of existing light electric and gasoline
powered vehicles. For example, we are planning an electric bicycle that will
have a one kilowatt-hour EESU weighing less than five pounds which should
provide approximately 100 miles or more of range, and we are considering a
three-wheel two-passenger electric vehicle which could offer EESU options
permitting ranges from about 120 miles to over 500 miles on a single charge,
and a top speed of over 85 mph.'
The light electric vehicle category is the largest established electric
vehicle market in the world, with an estimated 20 million units sold per year.
Some countries are seeing a 50% increase in sales of electric bikes and
scooters per year. Light electric vehicles provide advantages in cost of
purchase and operation, faster charge time, parking availability, reduced
traffic congestion, and storage.
Contact: Light Electric Vehicles Company, P.O. Box 1316, Eugene, OR
97440-1316, or e-mail admin@lightevs.com, or call 541-915-7207.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this news release may constitute 'forward-looking'
statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange
Act of 1934.
SOURCE Light Electric Vehicles Company
