Image via WikipediaSOURCE: Li-ion Motors Corp.
Mar 07, 2011 08:30 ET
Li-ion Motors Corp. (OTCBB: LMCO) (FRANKFURT: LL9L) Proves Some Cars, and Car Buyers, Are Smarter Than Others
First-Ever Lithium-Ion Battery Powered Smart Car Conversion Sold Achieves Benchmark
Just seconds after it went live on the Sam's Club website, the one-of-a-kind package which combined a Li-ion Motors lithium-ion battery powered Smart Car conversion with a behind-the-scenes, VIP trip to NASA's Kennedy Space Center to witness a shuttle launch first-hand, was purchased by Keith Branyon, an attorney from Texas.
It was also significant as it was the first lithium-ion battery powered car ever sold to a private citizen in the world. (Li-ion had built other lithium-ion powered vehicles for businesses and government agencies.)
Li-ion Motors is a leader in the application of lithium-ion battery technology to transportation. The company has been converting gasoline powered vehicles -- cars, trucks, ATVs, motorbikes -- to 100% electric for eight years for individual consumers as well as business and government agency clients. The company's original design Inizio (http://www.li-ionmotors.com/inizio/), a high-performance supercar and Wave II (http://www.li-ionmotors.com/wave), which exemplifies functional practicality with its 28 cubic feet of storage space, recently drew acclaim at major auto shows in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Detroit and Washington.
The unique Sam's Club package was conceived around the fact that Li-ion Motors had been and continues to work with NASA through a Space Act Agreement that has the agency testing different models of the company's electric conversion cars.
In fact, Branyon bid on the package because of his longstanding interest in the space program and desire to see a space shuttle launch, admitting he "hadn't thought much about the car."
But he quickly adds, "While that was the main thing, the car has proven to be a whole lot of fun. I didn't bid on the car because I thought it would be cheap transportation but it turned out to be that."
"I'm a proud owner and a satisfied customer," he says, calling the car his "Energizer Bunny."
He says the Li-ion Motors Smart Car is his primary vehicle, using it daily for driving to work, about a five mile commute each way, and everything else. "Some days I drive 10 miles, some days 50 or 60."
"I think the technology is amazingly good if you live in an urban area and do a lot of city driving," Branyon told a newspaper a few months after he received the car in December 2007.
Last week, Mr. Branyon sent Li-ion a photo of his car's odometer with the note, "Here is a picture that you might want to see. Your baby is getting old!!" The digital odometer read 20,000 miles.
"Twenty thousand miles may not seem like a lot to some people but in fact that averages out to about 130 miles a week over three years which is more than most people drive," said Stacey Fling, Li-ion Motors CEO. "And Mr. Branyon has done it without having to buy a single gallon of gas."
That's a fact Branyon takes particular pride in. "As gas gets more expensive, this is the prettiest girl at the dance. It's fun to drive by all those gas stations."
He keeps it plugged in when not driving it, and says he hasn't seen any significant change in his electric bill. "I know it's not free but it feels like it is."
He also commends the car's durability and low maintenance. In three years all he's had to do is, "put brakes in the front and tires on the rear."
Mind you, though he cares about the environment, Branyon wouldn't characterize himself as a tree hugger. Along with a Ford Escape Hybrid he also enjoys the Dodge Viper he bought for his wife as a birthday present. He says the electric Smart Car draws more attention with most asking about gas mileage.
"When I tell them infinity, they get really confused," he laughed. "The Viper is the yin to the yang of the Smart Car because it gets just 10 miles per gallon."
With gas prices continuing to climb, media and public attention for electric cars only grows stronger, especially for a company whose Wave II won the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize, achieving an average of more than 187 MGPe (miles per gallon equivalent) in the process.
Ahead of the curve on electric drive vehicles and completely satisfied, Branyon closed by saying, "With all the publicity about Nissan's Leaf and Chevy's Volt, I can't believe that one of the big companies haven't made a run at (Li-ion Motors). It's ready for prime time. These guys in North Carolina know how to do it."
Some cars are smarter than others.
About Li-ion Motors Corp.: (OTCBB: LMCO) (FRANKFURT: LL9L), headquartered in Mooresville, NC with corporate offices in Las Vegas, NV, is a leading developer and manufacturer of electric powered automobiles including the WAVE II and the Inizio.
Previously known as Hybrid Technologies, the company has more than ten years' experience and expertise in the conversion of internal combustion cars to all electric for both individual and corporate customers as well as government agencies such as NASA.
The company won the Progressive Automotive X Prize in 2010 for its WAVE II, which came with a $2.5 million (USD) award. During the X Prize competition, the WAVE II, whose electric motor is powered by lithium-ion batteries governed by a proprietary battery management system (BMS), was certified by the Argonne National Laboratory at 202.5 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent).
The Inizio is the world's first 100% electric supercar, capable of 170 mph and acceleration from 0-60 mph in up to 3.4 seconds. Both vehicles are moving into production for consumer sales in 2011.
Along with the production of original vehicles, the company licenses its proprietary BMS and technology to automobile manufacturers seeking to advance their electric vehicle offerings.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT:
This press release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on the Company's current expectations as to future events. However, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release might not occur, and actual results could differ.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Website: http://www.li-ionmotors.com
Licensing/Sales/Reservations:
1-877-274-6236 or 1-704-601-9928
sales@li-ionmotors.com
Investor Relations:
1-888-669-1808 or 1-305-395-6086
ir@li-ionmotors.com
Media Contact: 1-704-210-8804
pr@li-ionmotors.com
Website: http://www.li-ionmotors.com
Licensing/Sales/Reservations:
1-877-274-6236 or 1-704-601-9928
sales@li-ionmotors.com
Investor Relations:
1-888-669-1808 or 1-305-395-6086
ir@li-ionmotors.com
Media Contact: 1-704-210-8804
pr@li-ionmotors.com
Related Articles:
Lithium - Resource of the 21st century!
EV and energy storage market heating up
International Lithium spinnoff from TNR
No comments:
Post a Comment