Lithium-Ion Battery Leader Ener1 Takes Stake in Electric Vehicle Maker Think Global
27 Agosto 2009 - 11:29AM
PR Newswire (US)
Deal Includes Long-Term Supply Agreement and Strategic
Collaboration on Integrated Electric Drivetrain Systems NEW YORK,
Aug. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ener1, Inc. (NASDAQ:HEV) will
take the lead among a group of investors that plans to inject $47
million of equity funding into Think Global AS, the Norwegian
electric vehicle producer. Ener1, Inc. is the parent company of
EnerDel, a leading manufacturer of advanced lithium-ion automotive
battery systems based in Indianapolis and an existing supplier to
Think. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080312/CLW018LOGO ) Ener1,
Inc. has agreed to invest approximately $18 million in three
tranches, and convert an additional $3.0 million in debt for
convertible preferred shares of Think, effectively transferring the
10% equity stake held by Ener1 Group to Ener1, Inc. Once all stages
are complete, Ener1, Inc. will hold approximately a 31-percent
stake in the company. Other stakeholders in the deal include
Investinor, the Norwegian sovereign investment company. "Automakers
need made-to-order performance combined with the pricing and
availability of an off-the-shelf system," said Ener1 Chairman and
CEO Charles Gassenheimer. "Ener1 and Think have collaborated for
years on systems development, and today possess a unique ability to
bring together category-leading technologies in a fully integrated
platform, to suit a wide variety of vehicle applications." EnerDel
and Think have also agreed to enter into a new long-term battery
supply agreement as part of the transaction. EnerDel will receive
certain exclusivity rights for the supply of batteries for Think's
current and upcoming new vehicle models. "Ener1 is very pleased to
have the opportunity to lead this round of investment in the
manufacturer of the first road-ready electric vehicle on the world
market," added Ener1 Chairman and CEO Charles Gassenheimer. "As a
key battery supplier and now partner in the production and
marketing of electric drivetrain solutions for a range of
next-generation vehicles, Ener1 looks forward to a strong future
relationship with this industry leader." "This investment cements
our partnership with one of the leading advanced battery
manufacturers in the world," said Think CEO Richard Canny. "In
addition to ensuring supply of high-performance battery systems,
the new deal will enable us to more fully capitalize on our
advantage in the marketplace with the only 'plug-and-play' electric
vehicle drive system with prismatic lithium-ion technology." About
Ener1, Inc.: Ener1 develops and manufactures compact, high
performance lithium-ion batteries to power the next generation of
hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicles. The publicly
traded company (NASDAQ:HEV) is led by an experienced team of
engineers and energy system experts at its EnerDel subsidiary
located in Indiana. In addition to the automobile market,
applications for Ener1 lithium-ion battery technology include the
military, grid storage and other growing markets. Ener1 also
develops commercial fuel cell products through its EnerFuel
subsidiary and nanotechnology-based materials and manufacturing
processes for batteries and other applications through its NanoEner
subsidiary. About Think: Think is a pioneer in electric vehicles,
and a leader in electric vehicle technology, developed and proven
over 19 years. It is one of the few companies that has a
'ready-to-market' fully electric vehicle - the TH!NK City. With its
market-leading range, driveability and recyclability, the TH!NK
City is the first vehicle of its type to be granted pan-European
regulatory safety approval and CE certification. Think is also a
leader in electric drive-system technology, and was the first to
market a 'plug and play' mobility solution in the
business-to-business sector. With its Scandinavian origins and
sustainability mindset, Think is one of the most carbon efficient
car companies in the world. Safe Harbor Statement: Certain
statements made in this press release constitute forward-looking
statements that are based on management's expectations, estimates,
projections and assumptions. Words such as "expects,"
"anticipates," "plans," "believes," "scheduled," "estimates" and
variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to
identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are
made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These
statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve
certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict.
Therefore, actual future results and trends may differ materially
from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a
variety of factors. All forward-looking statements speak only as of
the date of this press release and the company does not undertake
any obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to
forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or
changes in expectations after the date of this press release.
CONTACTS: INVESTOR RELATIONS: MEDIA RELATIONS: Rachel Carroll Haley
Drage VP Corporate Communications Waggener Edstrom Worldwide P: 212
920-3500 P: 425 638-7438 E: E:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080312/CLW018LOGODATASOURCE:
Ener1, Inc. CONTACT: INVESTOR RELATIONS: Rachel Carroll, VP
Corporate Communications, Ener1, +1-212-920-3500, ; MEDIA
RELATIONS: Haley Drage, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide,
+1-425-638-7438, Web Site: http://www.ener1.com/
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