OAK PARK, Michigan,
March 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Azure
Dynamics Corporation (TSX: AZD)(OTC: AZDDF) ("Azure" or the
"Company"), a world leader in the development and production of
hybrid electric and electric components and powertrain systems for
commercial vehicles, announced today that Lotus Lightweight
Structures, a division of Group Lotus plc, will provide assembly
support for the Transit Connect Electric for the European market.
Lotus Lightweight Structures will be responsible for upfitting
Azure's patented ForceDrive(TM) battery electric powertrain into
Ford Transit Connect "gliders" (powerless vehicles without a
conventional powertrain or exhaust) from its facility in
Worcester, UK, beginning in
June 2011.
"The European Union and individual governments and private
businesses are all working to lead the adoption of electric
transportation technology and have shown strong interest in the
Transit Connect Electric van," said Scott
Harrison, CEO of Azure Dynamics. "With Lotus Lightweight
Structures, the project gets another globally renowned automotive
company to ensure that final assembly is completed to the exacting
standards of our customers."
Stephan Pathenschneider, Chief Operating Officer - Lotus Cars
said, "As part of Group Lotus plc, Lotus Lightweight Structures,
based in Worcester in England, has a well earned reputation as one
of the finest high technology automotive organizations in the
world. We have a client base that includes both premier sports car
brands and large car companies and of course we manufacture and
assemble the pioneering and award winning bonded and extruded
aluminium chassis for the Tesla Roadster, the Lotus Evora, the
Lotus Elise and Lotus Exige. We not only specialize in
manufacturing vehicle structures from lightweight materials
including aluminium, composites and lightweight steels, but we also
have a high quality and efficient assembly process which will
enable us to upfit the Azure Dynamics ForceDrive(TM) electric
Powertrain to the Ford Transit Connect Electric."
Transit Connect Electric is the all-electric version of Ford
Motor Company's award-winning Transit Connect, first introduced in
Europe in 2002 when it was awarded
the prestigious 'International Van of the Year Award'. Transit
Connect has a successful history in Europe due to its combination of car-like
driving dynamics, cargo capacity, accessibility and low operating
costs. Transit Connect Electric is an ideal choice for light duty
commercial customers who travel predictable, short-range routes
with frequent stop-and-go conditions in urban and suburban
environments. In addition to its favorable carbon footprint, the
Transit Connect Electric is extremely quiet thus lessening noise
pollution on crowded streets.
Many European fleet owners have participated in early Transit
Connect Electric demonstration programs and expressed enthusiasm
for the vehicle's performance and eco characteristics. On a full
charge, Transit Connect Electric has a range between 80 KM/50 miles
and 130 KM/80 miles depending on auxiliary power usage and drive
cycle. It is rechargeable using standard European 220/240-volt
outlets within 6 to 8 hours. Commercial fleet vehicles generally
return to a central location at the end of a driving cycle making
them perfect for recharging overnight.
The Lotus Lightweight Structures facility in Worcester, England will receive Transit
Connect "gliders" shipped from the Ford manufacturing location in
Turkey, and ForceDrive(TM)
electric components from Azure and its supplier facilities. Lotus
Lightweight Structures will provide all final assembly operations
for vehicles bound to the European market.
Azure's ForceDrive(TM) powertrain has previously been deployed
in more than 40 vehicle integrations and has more than 35 million
miles of on-the-road experience. Energy stored in the lithium ion
battery is utilized to drive the motor through the electric
powertrain's motor controller. The accelerator input from the
driver converts DC power supplied by the battery into three
precisely timed signals used to drive the motor. The Transit
Connect Electric van's appearance is identical to the standard
Transit Connect other than the inclusion of the Azure
ForceDrive(TM) badge on the rear of the vehicle and information
provided on the instrument cluster. Of course, Transit Connect
Electric will not have an exhaust pipe as the vehicle produces zero
tailpipe emission.
About Azure Dynamics
Azure Dynamics Corporation (TSX: AZD)(OTC: AZDDF) is a world
leader in the development and production of hybrid electric and
electric components and powertrain systems for commercial vehicles.
Azure is strategically targeting the commercial delivery vehicle
and shuttle bus markets and is currently working internationally
with a variety of partners and customers. The Company is committed
to providing customers and partners with innovative,
cost-efficient, and environmentally-friendly energy management
solutions. For more information please visit
http://www.azuredynamics.com.
About Lotus Group Lotus plc, is based in Norfolk, UK, and has three operating
divisions: Lotus Cars, Lotus Engineering and Lotus Motorsport.
Lotus Cars builds world class, high performance sports cars
including the award-winning Evora, the iconic Elise and the
stunning Exige and the road / track orientated 2-Eleven. Lotus
New Era, the future product
line-up, was unveiled in Paris on
30th September 2010 featuring the new
Esprit, Elan, Elite, Elise and Eterne.
Lotus Cars also includes Lotus Lightweight Structures which is
based in Worcester, England and
manufactures the bonded and extruded Aluminium chassis structures
for all Lotus cars and also manufactures components for other
premier sports car brands and large car companies.
Lotus Engineering provides comprehensive and versatile
consultancy services to many of the world's OEMs and Tier 1
suppliers and is an internationally recognised automotive
engineering consultancy. Global facilities include those in the US,
Malaysia, China and offices in Germany and Japan, with rapid expansion in new territories
such as South East Asia. Lotus is
a global high-tech company, expanding rapidly and committed to
driving forward technology for both Lotus Cars and its Engineering
clients, spearheading research into such areas as hybrids, electric
vehicles and renewable fuels.
Lotus Motorsport operates the motorsports activities of Lotus
and includes the strategy to return the Lotus name to a great
number of series including endurance racing with GT2, GT4 and LMP2,
single seater racing with GP2, GP3 and IndyCar. Lotus has also
returned to F1 with Lotus Renault GP from the start of the 2011 F1
racing season onwards.
The TSX Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy
or accuracy of this release.
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Certain information included in this press release constitutes
forward-looking statements and information and future-oriented
financial information under applicable securities legislation and
is provided for the purpose of expressing management's current
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More particularly, this press release contains statements
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cost of labor and expertise, and evolving markets for power for
transportation vehicles. Although Azure believes that the
expectations and assumptions used to develop the forward-looking
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that they will prove to be correct.
Since forward-looking statements address future events and
conditions, by their very nature they involve numerous risks and
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projections and forecasts in the forward-looking statements will
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For further information:
Azure Dynamics
Mike Elwood, Marketing VP, Azure
Dynamics, Mississauga, Ontario,
Canada +1-905-607-3486 ext 6203 Email:
melwood@azuredynamics.com
Juris Pagrabs, Vice President,
Investor Relations, +1(248)298-2403 ext 7570 Email:
jpagrabs@azuredynamics.com
Patrick Liebler, Liebler Group,
+1-248-229-4418 Email: pat@lieblergroup.com
Lotus
PR Department, Group Lotus plc, Potash Lane, Hethel,
Norfolk, UK, NR14 8EZ Email:
pr@lotuscars.com, Tel: +44(0)1953-608264