Amerigon Climate Control Seat System(TM) (CCS(TM)) Selected as Option For 2004 Hyundai Equus Luxury Sedan for Korean Market

First Hyundai Vehicle to Offer Option; First Luxury Sedan Offering CCS in Front and Rear Seats

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 3 -- Amerigon Incorporated today announced that its proprietary Climate Control Seat(TM) (CCS(TM)) has been selected as an option for the 2004 Hyundai Equus luxury sedan, Hyundai's flagship luxury model sold in Korea. The Hyundai Equus is the first Hyundai vehicle to offer CCS and the first luxury sedan in the world to offer the heating and cooling comfort of CCS in both the front and rear seats. With this announcement, there are now five automotive companies that have selected CCS with a current aggregate total of 13 vehicle models.

Hyundai Motor's Global Communications Director Oles Gadacz commented, "The auto industry is moving toward more comfortable and feature rich interiors to sell vehicles in an increasingly competitive market and we believe CCS will play a key role in helping to capture the discriminating Korean buyer and maintaining Hyundai's lead in the luxury vehicle market in Korea."

CCS is the only system on the market that allows the driver and passengers to heat and cool their seats individually for comfort in any weather condition at any time of the year. Amerigon is in its fourth year of producing and selling CCS and has shipped more than 600,000 seat systems to-date.

Amerigon President and Chief Executive Officer Daniel R. Coker commented, "We are extremely pleased to introduce our CCS technology into the Korean automotive market on Hyundai's largest and most luxurious sedan. The technology has gained broad market acceptance in the U.S. and Japan and we anticipate it will be well-received in the Korean market as well. We believe Hyundai's selection of CCS for both the front and rear seats may create opportunities for us with manufacturers of other luxury vehicles to also offer similar four-seat configurations, thus, dramatically increasing the market potential for CCS."

Established in 1969, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into the Hyundai Automotive Group which includes Kia Motors Corp. and over two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Employing nearly 50,000 people worldwide, Hyundai Motor posted US$21.94 billion in sales in 2002. Hyundai motor vehicles are sold in 166 countries through 4,504 dealerships and showrooms

About the Climate Control Seat (CCS)

The proprietary CCS system, which is integrated into a vehicle seat, is the first system of its kind. It significantly enhances individual passenger comfort in virtually all climatic conditions by providing cooling and heating to seat occupants, as desired, using a proprietary, solid-state heat pump combined with an active, microprocessor-controlled temperature management system.

Ambient air is drawn into the system from the cabin of the vehicle and, based on seat occupant inputs from individual seat controls, as well as inputs from temperature sensors built into CCS, the system's advanced design heat pump heats or cools the air. The heat pump, which uses no CFCs or other environmentally sensitive coolants, is built around a highly efficient, solid-state Thermoelectric Device (TED) that rapidly converts electric current into the desired thermal effect (hot or cold). The "conditioned" air is circulated through the seat surfaces by a specially designed, DC fan mounted into the structure of each seat, cooling or heating each seat and its occupant to individually preferred levels of all seasons' comfort.

About Amerigon

Amerigon designs, develops and markets its proprietary Climate Control Seat(TM) (CCS(TM)) products for sale to automotive and truck original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). CCS enhances individual driver and passenger comfort in virtually all climatic conditions by providing cooling and heating to seat occupants, as desired, through an active thermoelectric-based temperature management system. Amerigon is engaged in developing more efficient thermoelectric devices and products for automotive and other market applications. Amerigon maintains sales and technical support centers in Los Angeles, Detroit, Japan, Germany and England.