AM General to Build Hybrid Truck Platform for Bright Automotive

October 29, 2011 – Vol.16 No.32

AM General to Build Hybrid Truck Platform for Bright Automotive.

Bright Automotive has entered into an agreement for AM General to be Bright's exclusive North American assembler for the Bright IDEA vehicle platform. The Bright IDEA is an all-new, plug-in hybrid electric work-truck which uses innovative technologies to provide businesses with a powerful new economic solution focused on the lowest total cost of ownership.

AM General, a long-established contract vehicle assembler, military vehicle manufacturer and services provider, will build the Bright IDEA in its Commercial Assembly Plant in Mishawaka, Ind., under a contract assembly agreement with Bright Automotive.

The selection of AM General as the contract assembler is one of the necessary steps Bright Automotive has to take in order to meet current manufacturing plans to make the Bright IDEA platform available for sale as early as 2014 to government and commercial fleets. Production of the Bright IDEA is contingent on the completion of Bright Automotive's funding. This potential funding is a blend of substantial private equity commitments and a loan through the Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program.

"We are excited to work with AM General, whose proven manufacturing expertise and state-of-the-art assembly facilities will enable us to focus our resources on design and engineering, and work jointly to deliver class-leading quality, reliability and lowest total cost of ownership to our customers," said Mike Donoughe, Bright Automotive Chief Operating Officer.

The Bright IDEA platform is a clean-sheet plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that addresses the key economic and functional challenges facing commercial fleet operators. The Bright IDEA delivers unprecedented fuel economy and efficiency, maximizes utility, and significantly lowers fuel costs -- the key pain point of fleet managers -- while providing a superior range of 400 miles.

Bright Automotive is an Indiana and Michigan-based automotive company delivering innovative, fuel-efficient electrified vehicles and engineering solutions for commercial and government customers. Bright is bringing to market in 2014 an all-new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) truck platform, called the Bright IDEA, which will deliver unprecedented fuel efficiency and the lowest total cost of ownership in its class.(10/28/11)

Links:

Bright Automotive
http://www.brightautomotive.com

Disclaimer, Forward-Looking or Safe Harbor Statement on original press release: No