ANDERSON, IN--(Marketwired - May 8, 2013) - Today, Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (Altairnano) (
Proterra showcased its EcoRide™ EV bus -- called the "bus of tomorrow" by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood -- and provided test rides to event guests.
"It's thrilling to see the success of our collaboration with Proterra in action," said Michael Canada, vice president and general manager of U.S. operations for Altairnano. "This demonstration allowed public officials, local economic development decision makers and transit thought leaders a chance to see one of the most exciting emerging Indiana energy storage projects in action."
Most battery technologies require a bus to charge slowly for several hours. This means transit providers need extra reserve buses in the system that aren't in service, adding costs. In addition, most rechargeable batteries add considerable weight and bulk to a bus, reducing passenger load capacity.
Altairnano's fast-charge capability omits the need for extra buses charging; operating shuttles can charge at a scheduled stop along the bus route in less than 10 minutes. This technology will allow more communities to offer clean, quiet rides to passengers, using a zero-emission solution that is a viable one-for-one replacement for conventional diesel-powered buses.
"Altairnano's fast-charge capability is an important part of what makes the Proterra bus such an innovative green solution for our country," shared Dale Hill, founder of Proterra. "The bus can run a two-and-a-half-hour bus route after a single five- to 10-minute rapid charge, and the batteries have an expected lifespan that would require only one battery replacement during the 12 year expected life of a transit bus. Altairnano's solution is the best we have found in the industry for fast charging of buses."
For more information on Altairnano's other advanced energy storage solutions, please visit www.altairnano.com .
About Altairnano, Inc. Altairnano is a leading provider of high-power energy storage systems for the electric grid, industrial equipment and transportation markets. The company's lithium-titanate technology is built on a proprietary nano-scale processing technology that creates high-power, rapid-charging battery systems with industry-leading performance and cycle life. Altairnano is headquartered in Reno, Nev., and maintains operations in Anderson, Ind.; Zhuhai, China; and Wu'an, China. For additional information, please visit www.altairnano.com .
About Proterra With manufacturing in Greenville, S.C., Proterra is a leader in the clean technology and clean energy space, designing and manufacturing heavy-duty electric drive systems, energy storage systems, vehicle control systems, transit buses and fast-charging stations. Proterra's systems are scalable to commercial buses of all sizes. Its ground-up designs have led to the EcoRide, the world's first full-size, 10-minute charge battery-electric transit bus. In 2011, Proterra's EcoRide became the first heavy-duty electric transit bus ever to complete challenging federally required durability and reliability testing at the Bus Research and Testing Center in Altoona, Pennsylvania, demonstrating best in class energy efficiency and noise levels. For more information on Proterra and its technology, please visit: www.proterra.com .
MEDIA CONTACTS: Erin Witt Altairnano Inc. 317-509-5968 ewitt@altairnano.com
