EnerDel Wins U.S. Army Contract to Develop Batteries for New 'Hybrid Humvee'
November 05 2009 - 9:56AM
PR Newswire (US)
Program Will Test EnerDel's High-Performance Solutions Under the
Most Extreme Conditions INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
-- Automotive lithium-ion battery maker EnerDel, Inc. announced
today that it will be working with the United States Army to
develop a next-generation battery system for the hybrid version of
the iconic High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or
Humvee), known as the XM1124 Humvee. The company, a subsidiary of
Ener1, Inc. (NASDAQ:HEV), has received a $1.29 million contract to
design and build high-performance lithium-ion battery systems for
two different applications, drawing on its expertise in
multiple-chemistry solutions and ability to provide a complete
architecture in cell chemistry, electronics and battery systems
design. "This is an opportunity to showcase the true capabilities
of the EnerDel technology in conditions that demand the highest
levels of safety, performance and reliability," said Rick Stanley,
EnerDel President. "In keeping with a long tradition, we also
expect that innovations perfected here will have important benefits
for the commercial markets." EnerDel will spend the next 18 months
collaborating with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research,
Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) to produce four
custom-built power systems that will be subjected to extreme
performance simulations. TARDEC will be testing two of EnerDel's
battery chemistries. In addition to its lithium-manganese spinel
chemistry, best suited for extending electric vehicle range or
electronic systems runtime, the program will also be testing
EnerDel's lithium-titanate system, an advanced chemistry developed
in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago,
designed for extreme high-power hybrids that require hard
acceleration and braking. While the XM1124 Humvee is already
significantly more efficient than the conventional M1113 Humvee,
boasting a higher top speed, faster acceleration, longer range and
improved fuel economy, expectations are that the new, upgraded
battery packs will greatly increase the peak power capability of
the current demonstration vehicles. In addition, the robust battery
technology will also include an all-electric "silent watch"
capability which will power the electronics or traction motor
without running the truck's diesel generator, significantly
reducing both the audible and thermal signatures of the vehicle,
making it easier to escape detection by hostile parties. An
EnerDel-equipped XM1124 Humvee could also function as a portable
power plant to power a mobile command post or field hospital.
TARDEC, part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering
Command (RDECOM), is headquartered at the Detroit Arsenal in
Warren, Michigan. It is the nation's laboratory for advanced
military automotive technology. TARDEC develops and integrates
technology solutions to improve the effectiveness of the current
force and realize the superior capability of the future force. Its
technical staff leads research in ground vehicle survivability,
mobility, intelligent systems and maneuver support and sustainment.
The TARDEC award further spurs Ener1's business momentum. The
company has announced active relationships with Think Global,
Fisker and Volvo and has a research program with Nissan and Argonne
National Laboratory. Ener1 was recently selected to be awarded a
$118.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy under the
Federal Stimulus program and is awaiting approval of additional
long-term, low-interest loan funds under the Department's Advanced
Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program. EnerDel's two factories
in Indianapolis are the first, and so far only, commercial-scale,
automotive-grade lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities in
the United States. 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. 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. MEDIA
RELATIONS Jon Coifman Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Phone: 212 551
4815 Email: INVESTOR RELATIONS Rachel Carroll ENER1, Inc. Phone:
212 920 3500 Email: DATASOURCE: Ener1, Inc. CONTACT: MEDIA
RELATIONS, Jon Coifman, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide,
+1-212-551-4815, ; or INVESTOR RELATIONS, Rachel Carroll, ENER1,
Inc., +1-212 920 3500, Web Site: http://www.ener1.com/
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