NATdS Report #38: Finish Line Press Release

[Michael H Bianchi <bianchi@research.telcordia.com>]

This is the press release for the finish of the NESEA American Tour
de Sol, taken from the meida web site,
	http://members.delphi.com/tourdesol/1999/NR6.html


 FOR RELEASE: May 29, 1999 
 CONTACT: Jack Groh: (401)732-1551 

	    ELECTRIC VEHICLES FINISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 
		      ROAD RALLY, SET NEW RECORDS: 

		    GOOD PERFORMANCE COMBINES WITH 
			 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS 

Lake George, N.Y. - Nearly fifty of the top electric vehicles in the
country finished a grueling, weeklong test of their real-world
performance as the national championship NESEA American Tour de Sol
finished today in Lake George, New York.
        The road rally competition began six days ago in Waterbury,
Connecticut under torrential downpours and finished under sunny, blue
skies 250 miles later.  Along the way a new record was set, an old
record broken and tens of thousands of spectators got to see the
advanced technology cars of today and the future.
        In the production category, limited to electric vehicles
already on the market in the United States, the winner was the Nordic
Challenger, a Solectria Force vehicle entered by Solectria Corporation
and EVermont.  Solectria has sponsored a winning entry in every NESEA
American Tour de Sol since the annual championship event began 11
years ago.  The Solectria Force is based on a Geo Metro converted to
an electric powertrain.
        The top-scoring vehicle in the commuter category, limited to
vehicles that are either prototypes or one-of-a-kind, was named Sungo
and was built and entered by a team from the New Hampshire Technical
Institute.  Powered by advanced batteries, this car is a specially-
built car designed to run on electricity.
        In the fast-growing hybrid category, a student-engineered
vehicle from the University of Tulsa (Oklahoma) took first place.
Hybrid vehicles use more than one source of power.  In the case of the
University of Tulsas Paradyne, the car is powered by a gasoline engine
and an electric motor.
        In addition to the category winners, two range records
(distance driven before needing to refuel or recharge) were set or
broken this week.  A Solectria Force, entered by Team New England from
Massachusetts, drove an incredible 156 miles powered only by common
lead-acid batteries, the same type of standard batteries used in most
cars and boats.  Team New England broke the record of 143 miles set by
a Connecticut high school team four years ago.
        Another NESEA American Tour de Sol record was set as the
hybrid-powered championship car Paradyne from the University of Tulsa
traveled 493 miles without refueling.
        One of the most significant things to emerge from this years
competition was the increased reliability of electric vehicles, said
Nancy Hazard, director of the event.  With one exception, every
vehicle that started the road rally in Waterbury, Connecticut also
crossed the finish line in Lake George, New York. when you are talking
about an event that includes a large number of experimental and
prototype vehicles, this is quite a real-world accomplishment.
        Other category winners included the University of Main Solar
Black Bear pickup truck that won the Solar Commuter category and the
NFA Sol Machine built by high school students from Newburgh, New York
that won in the One Person category.
        NESEA American Tour de Sol also expect to have significant
energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction statistics available
from this years events.  That data was collected all during the
weeklong competition and will be released later.

        Additional results are available to media at:
                http://members.delphi.com/tourdesol

        Major sponsorship for the NESEA American Tour de Sol is
provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, Toyota Motor Sales, the
Waterbury (Conn.) Region Convention and Visitors Bureau, the
Connecticut Department of Transportation, the New York State Energy
Research and Development Authority, and the New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation.
        Other sponsors include Nissan, DaimlerChrysler, Ovonic Battery
Company, Northeast Utilities, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and
the New York Power Authority.  Additional support is provided by the
Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation and Construction,
Niagara Mohawk, the Society of Automotive Engineers, NEES Companies,
and the Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas.
        The eleventh annual NESEA American Tour de Sol is organized by
the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, the nation's leading
regional association involved in promoting awareness, understanding
and development of non-polluting, renewable energy technologies.
Headquartered in Greenfield, Massachusetts, NESEA is celebrating 24
years of working successfully in the fields of transportation,
building construction and renewable energy.

 -      -       -       -
 The above is copyright Michael H. Bianchi.  Permission to copy is
 granted provided the entire article is presented without modification
 and this notice remains attached.  For other arrangements, contact me
 at +1-973-822-2024.
 -      -       -       -
 For more on the NESEA American Tour de Sol, see the web page at
			http://www.nesea.org
 -      -       -       -
 Official NESEA American Tour de Sol information is available from the
 sponsor, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) at
  413 774-6051 , and  50 Miles Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 , and
  nesea@nesea.org .  All media enquiries should be addressed to ...
        Jack Groh
        Groh Associates
        Sustainable Public Relations
        email: GrohPR@aol.com
        401 732-1551 tel
        401 732-0547 fax