U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater AnnouncesNew Advanced Transportation R&D ProjectsTo Enhance American Competitiveness and Create Jobs
MONROVIA, Calif., July 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Building upon President Clinton's
commitment to mobilize private sector investments in untapped domestic
markets, U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater today announced new
projects valued at more than $4 million awarded to participants in
Electricore, Inc., a consortium dedicated to developing advanced
transportation technologies.
Electricore will manage three projects under the Advanced Vehicle
Technologies Program (AVP), a public-private partnership intended to create
cleaner, quieter, and more fuel-efficient vehicles. The projects will be
conducted by Electricore participants in California, Tennessee and New Jersey.
Electricore, Inc., is based in Indianapolis, Ind.
"These projects will help America produce vehicles that will help build
new industries and jobs, creating new markets and strengthening our economy,"
Secretary Slater said. "They demonstrate how transportation is about more than
asphalt, concrete and steel. It's about investment in people and providing
the means by which we Americans can get to where we need to go -- to jobs, to
schools, to markets, to take advantage of all the opportunities our great
nation offers."
The Electricore projects are:
* The AV-900 Cycler for a 600-900 Volt System for Heavy Duty Hybrid
Electric Vehicles. This project will develop a critical infrastructure
component required for industry testing and deployment of all battery
technologies, (including nickel-metal hydride, lithium ion and lithium polymer
batteries) as well as fuel cell and reformer systems for electric and hybrid
electric vehicles. The project team partnering to develop this system
includes AeroVironment of Monrovia; Allison Transmission, a division of
General Motors; and GM Advanced Technology Vehicles.
"Our targeted vehicle market for hybrid vehicle technology will include
heavy-duty cargo trucks, transit and shuttle buses, school buses, and military
wheeled vehicles," said Dan Hancock, president of Allison Transmission.
"Heavy duty hybrid electric vehicles offer the best hope for reduced emissions
and significantly improved fuel economy in the next 10 years."
* Installation of Capstone Microturbines into AVS Passenger Trams. Led by
AVS of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Electricore, Capstone MicroTurbines will be
integrated into two hybrid electric trams that will be placed into full
service at Cape Cod National Seashore.
"These environmentally friendly trams support the memorandum of
understanding between the Department of Transportation and the Department of
the Interior and Electricore's commitment to placing electric vehicles (EV)
and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) into the National Park Service," said Ellen
Engleman, president and CEO of Electricore, Inc. "Electric bicycles, pickups,
trams, trams, trolleys and buses can be used for administration and
maintenance, public transit and educational programs by the national parks."
Electricore delivered the first electric tram to Secretary of the Interior
Bruce Babbitt in October of 1994 at Patuxent Wildlife Refuge in Patuxent, Md.,
and is partnered with Channel Islands National Park and others.
* Novel Silicon Carbide JFET-Gated Thyristor. This project involves the
development of advanced power electronics using novel SiC processing
technology by Rutgers University, Piscataway, N.J., and Silcon Power
Corporation, Malvern, Pa.
"Successful completion of this SiC project will create a new technology
for 75 percent improvement in energy efficiency, in weight and size of the EV
and HEV powertrains," said Dr. Jian Zhao, Rutgers University project leader.
The AVP is jointly managed and jointly funded by the U.S. Departments of
Transportation and Defense and a broad cross-section of public and private
partners. The goal of the program is to bring advanced medium- and heavy-duty
vehicles to the nation's roads, waterways, airports, and rails by helping to
develop, demonstrate and deploy new vehicles, components and infrastructure.
During the first year of the AVP, $12.1 million in federal funds will be
matched by $15.7 million in private sector investment for new technologies for
advanced buses, trucks, and airport support vehicles, with application to
other vehicle types in rail, maritime and surface modes. Projects selected for
fiscal 1999 focus on EVs and HEVs vehicles, including infrastructure.
The AVP is authorized under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century (TEA-21) which President Clinton signed into law in June 1998 and
which guarantees about $200 billion to maintain and improve America's surface
transportation systems for the 21st century.
Web site: dot.gov
SOURCE U.S. Department of Transportation
CO: U.S. Department of Transportation; Electricore, Inc.; U.S. Department of
Defense
ST: District of Columbia, California; Tennessee; New Jersey; Indiana
IN: TRN
SU: EXE
07/08/99 19:30 EDT prnewswire.com |
