Echo Automotive, Inc., Echo’s Chief Technology Officer is John Waters, the founder & CEO of Bright Automotive ( earlier post ). a developer of technologies enabling the conversion of existing fleet vehicles into plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, completed a $3-million financing with United Fleet Financing, LLC, through a private placement offering and mezzanine financing. MORE

Start-up Bright Automotive, which in May unveiled its IDEA concept series plug-in hybrid light commercial van ( earlier post ), will convert VW Transporter vans with the series hybrid Bright powertrain as a bridge between the concept and the production version of the IDEA. Conversions are expensive, noted Lyle Shuey, Bright VP of Marketing and Sales, and the converted Transporters will not be as efficient as the purpose-built IDEA. The Bright IDEA and Transporter PHEV. MORE

About CalCars Plug-In Hybrids FAQ How to Get a PHEV Where PHEVs are Carmakers Say. Our PRIUS+ Project Photos PHEV Resources Global Warming Take Action News and Events Contact Us How Carmakers are Responding to the Plug-In Hybrid Opportunity If you ask, "have major auto-makers come around on PHEVs?", In late 2008, BYD started selling the first production PHEV in China. Daimler/Mercedes Took over Daimler/Chrysler Sprinter PHEV program. MORE

Bright Automotive, Inc. has entered into an agreement for AM General LLC to be Bright’s exclusive North American assembler for the Bright IDEA vehicle platform. AM General will build the Bright IDEA in its Commercial Assembly Plant in Mishawaka, Ind., The Bright IDEA is an all-new, plug-in hybrid electric light-duty work-truck due on the market in 2014. Production of the Bright IDEA is contingent on the completion of Bright Automotive’s funding. MORE

In response to owners of the IDEA PHEV commercial vehicle, Bright Automotive has upgraded the vehicle to deliver 40 miles of electric only range and almost 40 mpg in hybrid mode. As Bright Automotive said CEO John E. Waters said, "After speaking to major fleet operators and measuring how they use their vehicles, we modified the MORE

Bright Automotive will unveil its IDEA plug-in hybrid concept on Tuesday in Washington, DC. Bright will then take the IDEA will to Norway in May 2009 for the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS24). Bright Automotive launched in January 2008 from Colorado-based Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) with the goal of building on the work of a consortium of organizations, including Alcoa, Google.org, Johnson Controls and the Turner Foundation. MORE

Bright Automotive has applied for $35 million in government grants to accelerate the production of its plug-in hybrid the IDEA ( earlier post ), and to deliver battery solutions to the industry through its engineering services arm. In addition to these grants, Bright Automotive has applied for $450 million in government loans under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program. MORE

Bright Automotive. Coda Automotive. Fisker Automotive. Fisker Automotive. Bright Automotive. And Reuben Munger, former managing partner at investment firm Baupost Group LLC, is a founder and chairman of Bright, which developed a fully electric delivery van called Idea. Fisker Automotive. PHEV. It is different from a plug-in hybrid, or PHEV, which runs on both battery power and gasoline. MORE

The Active Noise Control technologies are part of a steady stream of ground-breaking innovations that Lotus has brought to the automotive industry and we are committed to pursuing further developments in vehicle refinement and environmentally friendly transport solutions." "We We are privileged to team up with Lotus for this new development initiative, which will reinforce our mission to deliver exceptional audio and infotainment experiences for automotive customers," said Dinesh C. MORE

Bright Automotive, Inc., the developer of the purpose-built, plug-in hybrid IDEA ( earlier post ) launched of Bright eSolutions to support automotive customers worldwide to accelerate vehicle electrification, lightweighting, and overall platform efficiency. Bright Automotive launched eSolutions with a just-announced contract from the US Army TACOM to conduct a demonstration project on a low-cost plug-in hybrid electric solution for non-tactical military vehicles. MORE

Bright Automotive, the developer of the purpose-built, plug-in hybrid IDEA ( earlier post ), has been awarded one of five contracts by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to develop and test an electric postal delivery vehicle. Under the contract, Bright Automotive’s eSolutions team ( earlier post ) will retrofit a standard USPS Long Life Vehicle (LLV) with an integrated electric drive train, and place the vehicle in real-world service for one year in the Washington DC area. MORE

Bright Automotive, the developer of the purpose-built, plug-in hybrid IDEA ( earlier post ), and General Motors Co. Funding through GM Ventures will allow Bright to begin ramping up the development of the production program for the IDEA in the third quarter of 2010. Bright continues to seek a low-interest loan through the Department of Energy’s ATVM program. With this deal, Bright gets financial support that puts us on the fast track toward mass production of the IDEA. MORE