Azure Dynamics Announces 45 Transit Connect Electric Sales
OAK PARK -- The Oak Park hybrid and electric truck powertrain developer Azure Dynamics Corp. (OTC: AZDDF) said Thursday night announced 45 new Ford Transit Connect Electric sales, including 20 units in Europe and 25 units in North America.
Included were six initial units through the federal General Services Administration via Northside Ford in San Antonio, Texas, a four-unit order from Verizon and a four-unit order from an Internet company.
"We are pleased to have received several initial orders through the GSA as various U.S. government agencies, affiliated companies and military installations begin their procurement process for fiscal 2012," said Scott Harrison, Azure's CEO. "The Transit Connect Electric, offering low operating costs and zero tailpipe emissions, is the ideal versatile product that can serve a myriad of government fleet needs, particularly within the Armed Services."
Since most commercial and government fleets spend a significant portion of their operational costs on fuel alone, there has been a dramatic surge in the demand for electrified alternatives. These fleet operators are increasingly seen as the logical starting point for electric vehicles due to typical drive cycles that include travel on predictable, short-range routes with frequent stop and go driving that generally return to a central location at the end of a drive cycle making for efficient and convenient recharging over night.
"With these new orders, our global Transit Connect Electric sales exceed $32 million in less than 12 months of production," Harrison said. "And, our network of over 160 Ford dealers globally continues to drive our sales growth while providing outstanding service for our customers."
Azure Dynamics has agreements with more than 160 Ford commercial truck dealerships in key markets acrossNorth America, 90 of which support sales and service activities for Transit Connect Electric and in six countries throughout Europe representing 13 dealerships with 57 store locations.
The 45 Transit Connect Electric vans announced today were sold to a variety of customers across North America and Europe as wells as to a number of Ford commercial truck dealers who will use the vans as customer demonstrators to increase awareness and appreciation of the product. These sales include:
UNITED STATES
California
- Mission Valley Ford in San Jose (4 units)
- Kearny Pearson Ford in San Diego (1 unit)
- Trans West Ford in Fontana (2 units)
- Frontier Ford in Santa Clara (1 unit)
- Siemens through East Bay Ford in Oakland (1 unit)
Connecticut
- Norwich Public Utilities through Interstate Ford in Hartford (1 unit)
Florida
- Bartow Ford in Lakeland (1 unit)
Georgia
- Peach County Ford in Byron (1 unit)
Massachusetts
- Verizon through Stoneham Ford in Stoneham (4 units)
- Stoneham Ford in Stoneham (1 unit)
Texas
- Northside Ford in San Antonio (6 units through the GSA)
CANADA
- Boisvert Ford in Quebec (1unit)
- City of Hamilton, Ontario through Oak-land Ford in Oakville, Ontario (1 unit)
GERMANY
- Sachsengarage Ford in Dresden, Germany (1 unit)
- Kuttendreier Ford in Munich, Germany (1 unit)
- Sigg & Still Ford in Augsburg, Germany ( 1 unit)
- KADEA Ford in Berlin, Germany (1 unit)
- Pfohe Siemens Ford in Nuremburg, Germany (1 unit)
NETHERLANDS
- Ardea Ford in Netherlands (7 units)
- Dutch Royal Family through Ardea Ford in the Netherlands (1 unit)
NORWAY
- RohneSelmer Ford in Norway (4 units)
UNITED KINGDOM
- Brighton Council through Ford Retail in the UK (3 units)
The Transit Connect Electric uses an advanced lithium-ion battery from Johnson Controls to achieve a range of 50 to 80 miles depending on auxiliary usage and drive cycle and is rechargeable using either a 240-volt or standard 120-volt outlet. Commercial vans generally return to a central location at the end of each driving cycle making for easy overnight recharging. Use of the vehicles will also reduce fuel and maintenance costs, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
More at www.azuredynamics.com.
