Bright Automotive, Inc. (Bright Automotive), a US-based automotive manufacturer, has introduced a new 100 MPG plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), IDEA, for commercial and government fleets. The multi-use vehicle falls into the classification of light trucks. The company is planning to manufacture 50,000 vehicles annually by 2013, offering businesses and government agencies with a highly durable, cost-saving and eco-friendly new vehicle.
Bright Automotive demonstrated a fully operating concept version of the vehicle to a crowd that incorporated Members of Congress, White House Officials, media, and customer and supplier representatives.
“We created the IDEA by starting with a clean sheet of paper, listening to customer needs, and using breakthrough technologies and materials,” stated John E. Waters, president and chief executive officer of Bright Automotive. “The IDEA leverages Bright’s highly experienced team and delivers a lower cost of ownership than competing vehicles. At the same time, the IDEA demonstrates technological leadership for the American auto industry and will create thousands of new ‘green collar’ jobs here at home.”
The Bright IDEA:
Bright Automotive said the new IDEA will be 5 to 10 times more efficient than the present commercial fleets. The new vehicle will save a typical customer over 1,500 gallons of gasoline and thousands of dollars in the fuel costs annually. For the 100 largest fleets in the US, each having on average over 1,000 vehicles like the IDEA in their fleet, the savings would average over $3 million a year.
At the same time, each IDEA will reduce emissions and C02 output by up to 16 tons each year over competing vehicles. Main reasons for such high efficiency are vehicle weight and aerodynamics: the curb weight target for the new IDEA is 3200 pounds, 1500 pounds less than the average competitor with a 0.30 Coefficient of drag (Cd).
To attain advance fuel efficiency, Bright Automotive is building the new IDEA from the ground-up and increasing platform efficiency by including lightweight materials, advanced aerodynamics and low-rolling resistance tires. On a full charge, the new IDEA uses battery power for the first 30 miles, utilizing little or no gasoline and less than $1 of electricity. After this, it functions like other hybrids. As an example of fuel efficiency, for commercial customers with a 50-mile daily urban route, the new IDEA utilizes about 1/2 gallon of gas, which is equivalent to getting 100 mpg. For a 70 mile daily driver, 1 gallon of gas is used, similar to 70 mpg.
Delivering on American Automotive Leadership:
Waters added, “Bright Automotive is ready to deliver on American leadership for the US transportation industry. Quite simply, no other automotive product is available that directly saves customers money and affects their triple bottom line: economics, people, and sustainability. There are millions of similarly sized gas-fueled commercial vehicles on the road today, so the IDEA is more than just a new vehicle — it’s an opportunity to make dramatic change, for our country, for our economy, and for our environment.”
The new IDEA is also a more useful and modern vehicle, with features that incorporate a 180 cu ft., 1 ton cargo capacity, ergonomic design, new cargo compartment, and a patent-pending passenger seat that converts to a mobile office. From the starting of the design process, the company consulted with over 50 fleet managers from American companies, deeply involving them in the design process. The new IDEA is, in fact, the first high-volume PHEV to be designed solely for commercial and government fleet use.
High volume production of the new IDEA will start in the US by the end of 2012, with an annual run rate of 50,000 units starting in 2013. To produce its vehicle, the company is planning to produce over 5,000 jobs, directly and through suppliers by 2013.
Waters developed the battery pack for General Motors Corporation’s first production electric vehicle, the EV1, and other executives and engineers have spent years working for Chrysler LLC, Delphi Corporation, Johnson Controls, Inc. (Johnson Controls) and other manufacturers and suppliers. Just over a year ago, the company launched as a spin-off from the Rocky Mountain Institute, where it drew on the expertise of visionary organizations, including Alcoa, Duke Energy, Google.org, Johnson Controls, and the Turner Foundation.
Support from Great Organizations and Businesses:
Keith Trent, Duke Energy’s group executive and chief strategy, policy and regulatory officer stated, “Duke Energy is proud to be a major utility partner with Bright Automotive. The IDEA and other electric vehicles clearly represent the future of transportation in the U.S. By reducing our dependence on foreign oil, such vehicles will dramatically improve our national security and play a key role in improving our air quality. Both the energy industry and the transportation industry have entered a period of unprecedented change and opportunity. Bright Automotive’s IDEA vehicle is a tangible example of that change and opportunity.”
Lyle Shuey, Bright Automotive vice president of marketing and sales stated, “We worked with great companies — Duke Energy, Cox Communications, and others — to create the most fuel efficient utility vehicle available. The combination of our decades of automotive experience and their expert voice on commercial vehicles allowed us to develop a revolutionary plug-in hybrid electric vehicle unlike any other. The IDEA will deliver 100 mpg for typical customers, perform better on the road and in a crash, costs less to operate, and allows workers to be more effective in their jobs.”
Waters added, “The promise of plug-in vehicles and smart grid technology is not a dream; it is achievable today, here in America. Working with great companies and the most experienced team in the industry, Bright Automotive believes the IDEA can be at the center of a new energy paradigm. We can reduce energy use, save money, and create true sustainability by giving customers what they want and what they need to perform their jobs better.”