Paice Hyperdrive Can Run On Hydrogen Now; Use Fuel Cells Most Efficiently When Available

LIVONIA, Mich., Jan. 11 -- The breakthrough Hyperdrive(TM) automotive powertrain can achieve significant reductions in America's oil imports in the near future and also use hydrogen fuels and fuel cells most efficiently when they become available in the long term, according to the Paice(SM) Corporation, which is developing the system for worldwide automakers.

``Because the Hyperdrive system can increase the fuel efficiency of most of today's vehicles by an average of about 50 percent, it can contribute significantly to reducing the nation's gasoline consumption and oil imports in the very near future,'' said Alex Severinsky, chairman and CEO.

``The Hyperdrive system can also be designed with a dual-fuel engine that can run on current fuels now and also on hydrogen fuels whenever they are made practical and available,'' he said. ``This can be done with technology available today.''

``For the longer-term future, when fuel cells are ultimately developed to be practical and economical for powering vehicles, the Hyperdrive system can use them in the most efficient way,'' he added.

``Hyperdrive technology presents the opportunity to dramatically reduce dependence on foreign oil imports by millions of barrels per day in a very few years,'' he declared. ``This fact has profound implications for our nation's security and for our future relations with oil producing nations.''

Paice Corporation described the Hyperdrive system at a hearing of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in Washington on December 6, 2001 (available at www.paice.com/library.html ). Paice has applied for and received numerous patents and is currently making this technology available to automakers and suppliers.

Hyperdrive is an advanced hybrid gas-electric vehicle powertrain that delivers a previously unattainable combination of improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions, said Ted Louckes, chief operating officer of the company and former chief engineer of General Motors' Oldsmobile Division, who was responsible for design and engineering of its full line of vehicles.

``We believe it is the only hybrid drive system available today that can be commercially produced in large volume and be successful in the marketplace,'' he said. ``That's because it can meet the needs and desires of consumers for performance and cost as well as deliver high fuel efficiency.''

``Unlike the hybrids on the market today, the Hyperdrive powertrain is well suited for the large cars, SUVs, minivans, and light trucks that many Americans want,'' he said. ``It will work in any climate, climb steep hills, haul big loads, and operate in all conditions as well or better than a regular car or light truck.''

Hyperdrive can be produced at costs competitive to today's conventional powertrains because it uses the same technologies and materials,`` he added. ''Nothing new, exotic, or expensive.``

What makes Hyperdrive unique and superior among hybrid powertrains is its use of high-voltage and high-power semiconductors, high-horsepower electric motors, a highly efficient and low-cost lead-acid battery system, and an internal combustion engine sized for maximum efficiency. The whole system is electronically controlled to achieve near maximum attainable fuel economy.

Depending on power required in different driving modes, a Hyperdrive vehicle will be driven by the engine alone, by the electric motor alone, or by both together. A computer runs the system at optimum efficiency for whatever the driver commands.

Hyperdrive's application of high-power semiconductors and high-voltage power to control the internal combustion engine for almost maximum fuel economy was developed by Dr. Severinsky, who is a globally recognized power electronics systems engineer and expert on lead-acid battery applications.

The Paice Corporation's management staff and board of directors include engineers with more than 200 total years of experience in the American automobile industry.

Paice Corporation has created, patented, tested, and modeled the Hyperdrive(TM) system, a unique gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain system for cars and light trucks. The company has offices in Silver Spring, MD and an engineering center in Livonia, MI. Additional information is available at www.paice.com