(Wilmington, Massachusetts) - Solectria Corporation announced today that a
Solectria Force electric sedan powered by GP Nickel Metal Hydride batteries
captured first place overall in the 11th annual Northeast Sustainable Energy
Association's American Tour de Sol ("NESEA Tour") electric vehicle (EV)
championship. The winning car, sponsored by GP Batteries International Ltd.,
EVermont (the Vermont Electric Vehicle Program), the Northeast Alternative
Vehicle Consortium (NAVC), and Solectria, demonstrated a driving range of 142
miles on one charge and also won recognition for its efficiency, reliability,
acceleration, handling, and consumer acceptability. Approximately 50 vehicles,
including EVs manufactured by Ford, DaimlerChrysler, and Toyota, were entered in
the week-long NESEA Tour that concluded yesterday in scenic Lake George, New
York.
This achievement marks the 11th consecutive first place victory by a
Solectria EV since the NESEA Tour was first held in 1989. Second place was
awarded to a Solectria Force equipped with Ovonic Nickel Metal Hydride batteries
entered by the Ovonic Battery Company of Troy, Michigan, while third place went
to a Solectria Force with SAFT Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) batteries entered by the
Rideshare Company of Windsor, Connecticut and the Connecticut Department of
Transportation.
The Ethel Walker School of Simsbury, Connecticut won fifth place and the
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation took eighth place, each
team driving a Solectria Force powered by lead acid batteries. "As in past
years, we are again thrilled with the success of so many of our customers. Time
and again, they have demonstrated that Solectria electric cars and trucks work
great in real-world driving conditions," commented Solectria CEO James
Worden.
In other highlights, a Solectria Force with SAFT NiCad batteries entered by
the New Jersey Department of Transportation made history as the first fuel cell
vehicle ever entered in the competition. Also, a Solectria CitiVan electric
delivery truck used by the US Postal Service for a daily mail delivery route in
Manhattan, demonstrated a range of 71 miles on one charge. This vehicle is owned
by the New York City Department of Transportation, with support provided by the
Boston Edison Company, the US Postal Service, the New York Power Authority
(NYPA), and by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) through the
NAVC.
Solectria Corporation, a leading developer of electric vehicles and EV
components, produces electric vehicles ranging from passenger sedans to delivery
trucks. Over 1000 electric vehicles worldwide, ranging in size from full-size
hybrid-electric transit buses to student-built solar racing cars, rely on
Solectria's proprietary drive system technology.