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| September 2009 |
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Dear Reader
SEV US Corp, our associate company in North America, has achieved another major success, winning $10m in Federal funding. Here in the UK, Smith Electric Vehicles is gearing up for the biggest event in the exhibition calendar this year, LCV2009. Held at Millbrook, this is a great chance for you to test drive vehicles from across the Smith product suite, including our prototype Smith Ampere seven-seat people carrier! Another exciting public-private partnership is taking shape in London, where the Mayor, Boris Johnson, is spearheading efforts to encourage the take up of commercial electric vehicles. Go Ahead London, the capital's leading bus operator, is at the forefront of the campaign and is highlighted as a case study for its deployment of Smith Edison vans. See you at Millbrook!! Remember, if you are thinking about converting your fleet to electric you can find out more at our website at www.SmithElectricVehicles.com. Kevin Harkin, Sales Director, Smith Electric Vehicles |
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SMITH TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT LCV09
LCV2009, held at Millbrook, offers fleet managers the opportunity to test drive the full range of Smith vehicles:
Organized by Cenex, LCV2009 brings together the public and private sectors to examine, demonstrate and discuss the latest developments in low carbon vehicle technologies, from leading edge vehicles to recharging infrastructure. A senior member of the Smith team will be delivering a keynote speech at the conference and we will also be supporting various other events over the two days LCV2009 takes place at Millbrook Proving Grounds on September 9th and 10th. To register for a visitor pass, or for further details, visit the website, www.lcv2009.co.uk. |
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OBAMA BACKS SMITH ELECTRIC WITH $10M
Smith Electric Vehicles US Corporation Wins Federal Funding for Electric Vehicle Demonstrator Fleet.
Smith Electric Vehicles US Corporation (SEV US Corp) has won Federal Government funding to accelerate development and deployment of its commercial electric vehicles. The Department of Energy (DoE) is awarding SEV US Corp $10m, which will subsidise private sector procurement of a fleet of up to 100 commercial electric vehicles for a nationwide demonstration programme. This fleet will include the Smith Newton electric truck and the first Ford Transit Connect BEV electric light vans to be built in North America. Darren Kell, CEO of The Tanfield Group Plc, which owns 49% of SEV US Corp, said: "Right now, corporate America has tens of thousands of urban commercial vehicles in operation that could be immediately replaced with our electric vehicle technology. "This Federal funding incentivises the purchase of seed vehicles for major fleet operators, thereby accelerating the switch from trial phase to volume orders. "The programme will also allow us to deliver America's first fleet of electric light vans, produced in collaboration with Ford. "Government initiatives such as this one and those recently announced in the UK will help to drive volume and ultimately lower the cost of our vehicles." SEV US Corp plans to deliver the first vehicles under this programme in the final quarter of 2009, with the balance to be delivered in 2010. Its production facility in Kansas City will open in September. The funding is part of $2.4bn in electric vehicle and traction battery grants from the Department of Energy announced yesterday, under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 2009. Other recipients include Ford and General Motors. SEV US Corp recently delivered the first six Smith Newton trucks to Coca Cola Enterprises, AT&T, FritoLay and Staples, plus utilities Pacific Gas & Electric and Kansas City Power & Light. SEV US Corp anticipates these six launch partners will be among the first fleet operators to buy vehicles through the DoE programme. |
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GO AHEAD LONDON DEPLOYS EDISON VANS
Leading bus operator Go-Ahead London recently took delivery of its first Smith Edison vans, following a successful month-long trial of the technology. The vans are used as support vehicles to keep London's bus fleet running and are a key element in Go-Ahead London's environmental programme, 'Go Green'. John Trayner, Go-Ahead London's managing director, said: "We are committed to a cleaner, safer environment and to reducing our carbon footprint. The electric vans are simply another step towards this goal." Go-Ahead London, which already operates six hybrid diesel-electric buses, is to be the first bus company in London to operate electric support vehicles. The vans reduce Go-Ahead's carbon footprint, are virtually noiseless when in use and have zero exhaust emissions, helping to improve urban air quality. The vans will be used for roadside assistance and for distributing stores around Go-Ahead London's locations in the capital. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has already recognized Go-Ahead London's commitment to electric vans. The bus operator is one of a handful of pioneering companies helping the Mayor's office to promote uptake of commercial electric vehicles in the capital. Frank Thorpe, Business Development Manager, Go-Ahead London, said: "Go-Ahead are pleased to be working with the Mayor of London's initiative to encourage the use and development of electric vehicles and we are committed to converting our entire bus support fleet in London to electric power as soon as possible." Go-Ahead London's 'Go Green' campaign was officially launched earlier this year by Minister for Climate Change Joan Ruddock MP. |
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Smith Electric Vehicles will have a major presence at the UK's premier low carbon vehicle event this month.
