QUANTUM Achieves World Record for Lightweight Hydrogen Storage Tanks

IRVINE, Calif., July 11 -- QUANTUM Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of IMPCO Technologies, Inc. , announced today that it demonstrated a hydrogen storage tank with a world record 13% hydrogen weight efficiency. This breakthrough offers a dramatic weight reduction in hydrogen storage technology and will significantly improve on-board energy storage in aircraft and spacecraft applications where weight is critical. The technology will also be used in the development of lighter, less costly hydrogen storage tanks for fuel cell vehicle applications.

"QUANTUM continues to benefit from participating in the challenging aerospace market where weight is critical. Although this achievement was developed for an aerospace application, it allows for continuous improvement in hydrogen storage for fuel cell vehicles by providing the efficiency and the range that meets or, better yet, exceeds our customers' expectations," said Dr. Neel Sirosh, Director of QUANTUM's Advanced Fuel Storage Group.

QUANTUM anticipates using what it has learned from pushing the technical envelope for aerospace applications and applying the knowledge in its effort to commercialize 5,000 psig (350 bar) and 10,000 psig (700 bar) storage for automotive applications. Although the requirements for automotive applications are much more stringent than those of aerospace applications in terms of durability and damage tolerance, QUANTUM is confident that this achievement will have a direct impact in its ability to surpass the U.S. Department of Energy's "FreedomCAR" initiative's objective of 6% hydrogen storage by weight in addition to cost and durability targets. This will translate into a lighter, less costly hydrogen fuel storage tank with greater range for QUANTUM's automotive OEM customers and the ultimate end user -- the driver.

The QUANTUM team successfully fatigue-cycled and hydroburst-tested high performance prototype hydrogen storage cylinders and achieved the new performance record of 13% hydrogen storage by weight at 5,000 psig (350 bar). This tank will be optimized for an aerospace application currently under development by NASA and AeroVironment, with the final product targeted to achieve even higher storage efficiency and high cycle life.

QUANTUM's TriShield(TM) hydrogen storage tanks are uniquely designed and manufactured with a one-piece permeation-resistant seamless liner, a high- performance carbon composite over-wrap for strength, and a proprietary, tough impact-resistant shell. The tank is designed to meet all applicable regulatory and industry standards as well as customer-specific validation tests.

QUANTUM designs, manufactures and supplies integrated fuel systems to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of fuel cell applications and alternative fueled vehicles. These fuel cell applications include transportation and industrial vehicles, stationary power generation and portable power generation. Alternative fuel vehicles include cars, trucks and buses powered by internal combustion engines that operate primarily on natural gas or propane. QUANTUM's advanced fuel systems comprise the storage, monitoring, control and injection of gaseous fuels to improve efficiency, enhance power output, and reduce pollutant emissions from fuel cell systems and internal combustion engines. QUANTUM's fuel systems enable fuel cells and internal combustion engines to operate on hydrogen, natural gas or propane. More information about QUANTUM can be found on its website at www.qtww.com .