OVONIC in Europe shows
Monday October 5, 4:08 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.
Ovonic NiMH Batteries Featured at Paris
Motor Show And Brussels Electric Vehicle Symposium
TROY, Mich., Oct. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENER -
news) and its subsidiary, Ovonic Battery Company, Inc. (Ovonic Battery), today announced that
their proprietary Ovonic nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries were featured at two European
vehicle shows, the Paris motor show in France and the 15th Annual Electric Vehicle Symposium
(EVS 15) in Brussels, Belgium.
At the Paris show, Opel, General Motors European vehicle manufacturer, presented its first
driveable fuel cell mini van equipped with an advanced Ovonic NiMH battery pack. Opel's
mini van, the new Zafira,* serves as a research platform to develop the fuel cell electric drive
vehicle.
During a media briefing at the Paris motor show, Mr. Michael J. Burns, President, GM Europe,
and Group Executive, General Motors Corporation [NYSE:GM - news], commented, ''Opel
considers the combination fuel cell and electric drive to have more potential than any other
alternate propulsion system known at present. Our objective is to develop fuel cell technology
to be at market readiness by the year 2004.''
Robert C. Stempel, Chairman of Energy Conversion Devices, said, ''Ovonic Battery is pleased
to be working with Opel on this advanced technology project, which highlights the flexibility of
our proprietary Ovonic NiMH batteries and underscores our commitment to achieving
commercialization and manufacturing economies of scale.''
EVS 15, the year's largest gathering of international experts in the field of electric-powered
vehicles, attracted 100 exhibitors. In separate displays at GM Ovonic, General Motors and
Ovonic Battery, advanced technology Ovonic NiMH batteries for electric, hybrid electric and
fuel cell vehicles were featured. Once again, NiMH batteries were ''the battery of choice'' for
most vehicle manufacturers. ..........
ECD is a leader in the synthesis of new materials and the development of advanced production
technology and innovative products. It has pioneered and developed enabling technologies
leading to new products and production processes based on amorphous, disordered and related
materials, with an emphasis on alternative energy and advanced information technologies.
ECD's web site address is ovonic.com.
This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Safe Harbor
Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking
statements are based on assumptions which ECD, as the date of this release, believes to be
reasonable and appropriate. ECD cautions, however, that the actual facts and conditions that
may exist in the future could vary materially from the assumed facts and conditions upon which
such forward-looking statements are based.
* Technical specifications for the Zafira:
Mini-van: 7-passenger or 2-passenger plus cargo (seats folded)
Fuel cell stack: Opel design
Electric drive: 50kW AC induction motor
Batteries: Advanced Ovonic NiMH pack (315 HEV20)
Capacity -- 20 Ah
Power -- 500 W/kg
Energy -- 6.3 kWh
Specific Energy -- 50 Wh/kg
Power-to-Energy (P/E) Ratio -- 10:1
SOURCE: Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. |
