Zenn Clifford

Zenn Clifford

 

Zenn Motors has recently indicated it no longer plans to mass produce its own highway capable electric car called the cityZENN, instead focusing on development and sale of EEStor-powered electric car drivetrains called ZENNergy Drive.

Zenn is a 10% owner in Texas-bases EEStor believed to be secretly working on a breakthrough battery that is far cheaper, less temperature dependent, more energy dense, and far longer-lived than current lithium ion battereis.

Zenn CEO Ian Clifford explains why he feels this shift in business stragety makes a lot of sense.

"Why people would want ZENN to become another OEM is beyond me," he said. "Integration of ZENNergy Drive in Tier 1 and OEM product has always been our long term objective. The cityZENN program was always designed as a proof of concept for ZENNergy Drive."

Clifford beleives the potential for these systems is substantial.

“Leveraging ZENNergy Drive, powered by EEStor, across the industry is such a massive opportunity,” he says. “Last year 48,000,000 new cars built fit within our 1400 kg exclusivity on EEStor’s technology.”

Clifford also denies that any material or timeline changes at EEStor had anything to do with this announcent. "Absolutely not" he said when asked if it did.

He goes on to explain the coming public demonstration of the EESU, which to date has not ever been shown or proven to exist.

“With respect to the anticipated timeline of EEStor’s technology,” said Clifford. “EEStor has publicly stated that they expect to complete initial component testing in September 2009 and deliver functional technology to ZMC by the end of the year.”

“With respect to the initial Component testing, it is up to EEStor to announce the results,” he said. “It should be noted that while EEStor publicly stated their intention to complete component testing, they did not indicate if they would publicly disclose those results. Component testing is not a milestone in our technology agreement with EEStor.”

Source (GM-Volt.com)