---

Collaboration and Communication in the Electric Vehicle Market

30 September 1998

Forum Marks Collaboration and Communication in the Electric Vehicle Market and Benefits the Consumer

    BRUSSELS, Belgium, Sept. 30 -- Today General Motors Advanced
Technology Vehicles and Toyota Motor Corporation held the first scheduled
forum to address how an inductive electric vehicle battery charging system can
be used by all automakers in their production electric vehicles (EVs).  The
inductive charging system for electric vehicles was introduced by General
Motors and is utilized in their EV1 and S-10 Electric Truck.  In addition,
Nissan offers inductive charging on their Altra EV and Toyota will introduce
inductive charging as an option in their model year 1999 RAV-4EV.
    The session, which was held around the fifteenth annual Electric Vehicle
Symposium and Exposition in Brussels, provided open, two-way communication
allowing different automakers and others involved in the EV market to discuss
the technical aspects of inductive charging and the benefits it offers to
different automakers.
    "This session, as well as future meetings, gives all manufacturers'
engineers and product planning teams the opportunity to determine the
compatibility of inductive charging for their electric vehicles," said Mark
Amstock, National AFV Project Manager for Toyota Motor Sales, USA.  "We hope
other companies will follow our lead in working toward an industry-wide EV
charging standard."
    There are currently two charging systems used to recharge electric vehicle
battery packs.  The inductive system uses an electromagnetic connection that
transfers electricity across a magnetic field while conductive technology uses
a metal-to-metal connection.  Both systems are specifically designed for use
in electric vehicles.
    The forum marks the continued effort of the inductive charging supporters
to seeing the electric vehicle market developed.  While General Motors
developed the Magne Charge(TM) line of electric vehicle charging stations and
the inductive technology they use, they have to date licensed the technology
to two unaffiliated manufacturers.  In addition, engineers and product
planners will work with other manufacturers to incorporate the technical
details into their vehicles' design.
    Frank Pereira, Brand and Business Manager for General Motors Advanced
Technology Vehicles stated, "We are really taking a proactive, cooperative
approach to the development of the electric vehicle market both in the United
States and abroad.  While we compete on the showroom floors, we all believe
the development of a worldwide charging standard will ultimately help not only
the manufacturers of electric vehicles, but the consumers who will benefit
from their emissions-free operation."
    The next inductive charging forum will be at the North American EV &
Infrastructure Conference and Exposition on December 3-4, 1998 in Phoenix.