A123 Systems to Supply Battery Modules to Smith Electric Vehicles

A123 Systems to Supply Battery Modules to Smith Electric Vehicles for All-Electric Commercial Trucks  A123's Advanced Nanophosphate Lithium Ion Battery Systems Offer Smith a Cost-Competitive Solution for Meeting Performance, Safety and Life Requirements:

A123 Systems (Nasdaq:AONE), a developer and manufacturer of advanced Nanophosphate® lithium ion batteries and systems, today announced a production agreement with Smith Electric Vehicles to supply battery modules for Smith's portfolio of zero-emission all-electric commercial vehicles. A123 expects to begin shipping its 5kWh automotive-class prismatic modules to Smith for integration into battery packs in the second half of 2011.
"We selected A123 Systems as a strategic supplier of lithium ion battery technology because it offers cost-competitive, high-quality solutions that meet the performance, safety and life requirements for our electric vehicles," said Bryan Hansel, president and CEO of Smith Electric Vehicles. "The highly scalable, building-block design of A123's modules also enables us to build customized battery packs to meet individual customers' range specifications. This allows our customers to maximize the performance of their electric vehicles while realizing a faster return on investment."
According to Smith Electric Vehicles, A123's battery technology will be first implemented in the Smith NewtonTM truck, an all-electric, 7.5 ton (16,535 GVWR)–15 ton (33,000 GVWR) vehicle that has been commercialized globally. Smith's customers include Frito-Lay (a division of PepsiCo), Staples, Coca-Cola, Sainsbury's and Dairy Crest, as well as the U.S. Marine Corps.

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