HK Motors plans to begin producing a family of light-duty natural gas hybrid-electric passenger vehicles at its plant in Alabama beginning in 2013. Natural gas hybrids will use similar electric-drive technology to gasoline-powered hybrid vehicles with natural gas as the power source in place of gasoline.
The consortium will work on promoting consumer interest in natural gas hybrids, encouraging federal and state governments to extend the current range of incentives to encourage consumers, businesses, and governments to choose natural gas hybrid vehicles and the infrastructure necessary to sustain them. This will include advocating the passage of ‘The NAT GAS Act of 2009’.
It will further promote research and development efforts of natural gas vehicle/infrastructure technologies and related business models and work with natural gas distribution companies to install home fueling appliances and provide services for NGV purchasers.
Encouraging fleet owners of CNG fueling stations to expand their installations to include retail access to new NGV car owners and supporting access to more domestic supplies of natural gas also fall under the initiative of the consortium.
Dr CT Wang, CEO of Hybrid Kinetic Motors, said: ”Natural gas provides an immediate, responsible step toward real energy independence for the American driving public. It is geographically abundant and clean. We will work together to ensure it is in convenient supply when HK Motors vehicles arrive in the market.”
