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March 28, 2009 – Vol.14 No.1 Smith Electric Vehicles to Assemble Zero-emission Commercial Vehicles in Kansas City, Missouri. The new assembly plant will be located at a portion of an airline overhaul base at Kansas City International (KCI) Airport and is expected to create 120 jobs by 2010. Production of the first zero-emission commercial trucks is scheduled to begin third quarter of 2009. Smith Electric Vehicles U. S. (SEV U.S.) will initially focus its production on battery-electric-powered vehicles for depot-based predictable-route delivery fleets. SEV U.S. Corp's first zero-emission truck model will be the Smith Newton - the world's largest battery-electric-powered truck. It has a top speed of up to 50 mph, a range on one battery charge in excess of 100 miles and a payload of up to 16,280 lbs. SEV U.S. Corp will utilize the Enova P120 drive system for the Newton, a proven solution currently being used by Smith in Europe. The selection of Torrance, Calif., based Enova Systems, Inc.'s P120 drive system aligns with SEV U.S. Corp's core strategy to build a strong U.S.-based supply chain. "We feel the greatest opportunity to have a major impact on the electric vehicle industry is through fleet operators who utilize commercial vehicles in a depot-based delivery model," said Bryan Hansel, chief executive officer SEV U.S. Corp. "As more truck fleets adopt this technology, it will drive advancements in battery technology, drive down manufacturing costs, and form the foundation of a U.S.-based supply chain that, over time will also significantly reduce the cost of commercial electric vehicles. This will make them a natural choice for fleet managers with a depot-based delivery model." The SEV U.S. Corp decision to locate the plant in Kansas City represents an initial investment of $10 million in the metro area. The KCI overhaul base was selected for the new assembly plant because of its open configuration and immediate availability. The assembly plant will occupy 80,000 square feet at the overhaul base at start-up and will scale up based on demand. SEV U.S. Corp is also leasing 8,600 square feet of office space at the Ambassador Building at KCI. The company will receive close to $3 million in job training funds and other incentives from the state of Missouri and Kansas City. Canteen Vending Services, a national vending company and an operating division of the Compass Group North America based in Charlotte North Carolina, has already signed a letter of intent with SEV U.S. Corp to purchase some of the first zero-emission vehicles to roll off the assembly line.
Frito-Lay North America, a division of PepsiCo that is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company, headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., have also signed on as launch partners. Through its U.K. partner, The Tanfield Group Plc, SEV U.S. Corp is working with Ford Motor Company to electrify the Ford Transit Connect as a BEV (battery electric vehicle) light-duty van scheduled for production in 2010. Smith Electric Vehicles was founded in 1920 and acquired by Tanfield in October 2004. (3/27/09)
Links: Smith Electric Vehicles U.S. Corporation (SEV U.S. Corp) Canteen Vending Services Enova Systems
Disclaimer, Forward-Looking or Safe Harbor Statement on original press release: Yes
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