Raser Technologies, Inc. recently announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Tecstar, LP and Wheel to Wheel, LLC, outlining their intent to work together to manufacture plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) for utility, government and other fleets. Tecstar has been working with automakers to modify production line vehicles under warranty for OEM sales. Wheel to Wheel, LLC is a sister company to Tecstar and provides engineering development and prototyping support. Raser plans to have Tecstar convert popular SUV and light truck vehicles to 100 mpg plug-in series hybrid vehicles with 40 mile all electric range, using Raser’s proprietary Symetron™ electric powertrain technology and integrated series hybrid drive system to fulfill soft orders by utility, government and other green fleets. Tecstar has the capacity to build up to 60,000 vehicles per year at its four production plants located in Texas, Louisiana, Indiana and Ontario. Raser recently signed agreements with a global automobile manufacturer and an automotive engineering system integration partner, FEV, to develop a 100 mpg plug-in series hybrid SUV using the company's technology. Raser and FEV plan to demonstrate this vehicle later this year. In addition, Raser recently signed an agreement to sell plug-in series hybrid SUVs to Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), a California utility, for fleet demonstration and validation. After successful demonstration and testing with PG&E, Raser plans to sell 100 mpg PHEV vehicles to other green fleets. In addition to being able to drive 40 miles in all-electric mode under battery power, with near zero emissions, fleet versions of this extended range electric vehicle are expected to also offer up to 100 kw of mobile power from the built-in generator, a highly valued feature by utility and other fleets. “We anticipate that this second stage manufacturing program will become a large part of our transportation and industrial business segment in the coming years as we seek to fulfill the large demand for PHEV electric powertrains (expressed by fleet soft orders across the country),” says Patrick Schwartz, president of Raser Technologies. Both Wheel to Wheel and Tecstar were acquired by WB Automotive Holdings, Inc. in January 2008 from Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. For more information, visit www.rasertech.com. |
