AFS Trinity Wants Part of Detroit’s $25 Billion
Sep 24, 2008 – AFS Trinity Power Corporation took out national newspaper ads today publicly calling on Congressional leaders Pelosi, Reid, Bingaman & Dingell & presidential candidates McCain & Obama to set aside 25% [$6.25 billion] of the proposed $25 billion for Detroit automakers to develop super fuel-efficient autos to innovative, smaller companies working on super efficient cars and engines. Not surprisingly, AFS Trinity Power would be included as a recipient of some of this proposed federal largesse. They claim that their 150 mpg Extreme Hybrid SUV is here now in contrast to the Chevy Volt [2011] and the newly announced Chrysler cars [2010]. Although it is here now, there are only 2 available. Production is still 2 to 3 yrs away. Well it not a concept. It is a prototype, which is further along than Chevy & Chrysler. AFS actually hopes to license their technology to a larger automaker rather than become a manufacturer.
This is an interesting approach even though one can’t easily evaluate just how many $ should go to established Detroit manufacturers and how many $ should go to smaller companies. Nevertheless, it would be useful if some of the $25 billion [not yet committed] would go to smaller companies. We would like to have your comments on what percentage you feel is appropriate.
It would also be advisable for Congress to increase the mileage standards even more than is currently being talked about.
Hopefully, Congress will be able to address this issue after it saves the economy with an injection of $700 billion to provide liquidity to the marketplace.
It was interesting that AFS listed a number of small companies that are active in this area even though the small print states that none listed co-sponsored, paid for, approved or participated in placing the ad.
Here is the list of companies:
VEHICLES: AC Propulsion, AFS Trinity Power Corporation, Aptera, Azure Dynamics, Balgon, CommuterCars Corporation, Fisker Automotive, Global Electric Motor Cars, Odyne Corporation, Miles Electric Vehicles, Moroea, Phoenix Motorcars, Tesla [see earlier posts], ZENN Motor Company.
ELECTRONICS: AC Propulsion, Aerovironment, Cafe Electric, E-Drive Systems, Energy CS, Hybrid Car Conversions, Hymotion, Hybrids Plus, Manzanita Micro.
DRIVE SYSTEMS: Enova Systems, NuGen, Raser Technology, TM4, UQM Technologies
BATTERIES: A23 Systems, Altairnano, Compact Power, Inc., ECD Ovonics, Electrovaya, Electro Energy, EnerDel, Valence Technology
INTEGRATORS: Azure Dynamics, ISE, Inc.
ULTRACAPACITORS: Maxwell Technology
Photo courtesy of AFS Trinity Power Corporation.
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