Press Release
Zinc Air Transportation Announces Zinc-Air Battery Testing
02/13/97
Zinc Air Transportation tests long-range battery in cold climate BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Zinc Air Transportation, a global partnership involving B.A.T. International (OTC:BAAT), Kummerow NA and Green Fuel Resources, will be testing a new zinc-air battery in an electric van at a test track in Utah on Feb. 14-15 (weather permitting). The test is intended to demonstrate that an electric vehicle (EV) can offer a practical driving range, even in midwinter cold- weather conditions (targeted range of more than 300 miles on a single charge), using a steel vehicle with poor aerodynamics. This is a significant milestone in the evolution of EV battery technology, particularly when considering that the recently unveiled General Motors EV1 can only go about 12 miles in below-freezing weather (as quoted in EV Today, Don Hudler/president of Saturn, GM Division marketing EV1), even with the latest developments in aerodynamic design and lightweight materials. This event will have a profound effect on transportation planners, policy makers and auto companies considering the commercial viability of electric vehicles and their potential to alleviate worldwide environmental and energy problems. The electric delivery van has been built as a result of cooperative contributions from all three companies (B.A.T., KCNA and GFR). Kummerow has recently supplied a set of high-energy-density, advanced zinc-air batteries. Green Fuel Resources has provided financial support and input on preproduction requirements for vehicle design. B.A.T. has provided the vehicle and electric drive system and completed all work on the preproduction prototype model. The vehicle chassis has been obtained from an Asian manufacturer that B.A.T. has an agreement with to obtain ``gliders,'' (vehicles without engines). The chassis is ideal because it has five doors for easy access, a large payload capacity, is very lightweight, has high ground clearance and excellent design features. The delivery van will have the latest EV technology, including an inexpensive, lightweight AC drive system that is easy to maintain. Other features include regenerative braking, Goodyear low-rolling-resistance tires and an innovative design. The cold-weather, long-distance test will be completed at the Santana race track in Springville, Utah, 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. The test will verify that a production vehicle can be mass produced quickly and can achieve a very long range, even in cold weather. A second, warm-weather, test is planned in the near future. Zinc Air Transportation is working with partners in the United States, Asia and Europe to introduce the technology and move quickly to high-volume manufacturing. A tour of targeted Asian cities is planned this spring to demonstrate the technology. A showcase facility is being set up in Singapore that will feature electric delivery vehicles, taxis, mini-vehicles and buses. Asia is particularly well suited for zinc-air vehicles because the quick-change battery replacement system can provide alternative infrastructure similar to gasoline stations and allow electric vehicle range and refueling requirements to be very similar to the current internal combustion vehicle, with no pollution. KCNA zinc-air batteries were developed by Dr. Hans Juergen Pauling, a young, award-winning German chemist. KCNA zinc-air batteries are particularly well suited for EV use because of their high-energy density relative to other batteries. Zinc-air batteries have at least four times the energy density of a lead-acid battery (used in the GM EV1), and twice the energy density of a nickel-metal-hydride battery. At the same time, the battery is very low in cost ($300/kwh now, $100/kwh in 1998 -- less than lead-acid batteries), particularly when compared with other advanced batteries (nickel-metal-hydride batteries cost 10 times more now). This provides a practical, affordable battery system for an electric vehicle that can provide very long range with no pollution. CONTACT: B.A.T. International, Burbank | Bill Wason/Chris Martin, 818/565-5555 | 818/565-5559 (fax)