http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/emerald-seeking-contract-to-build-postal-vans/article_4dcce97c-0e31-5af6-9c3f-a68203b1bc24.html Emerald seeking contract to build postal vans [20150416] • By Tim BryantLoading…
Emerald Automotive, which is based in Hazelwood, is among 15 companies seeking a multibillion-dollar contract to produce delivery vans for the U.S. Postal Service. The contract would be for 180,000 vehicles built over several years. Gary Marble, an Emerald spokesman, said Thursday the company plans to assemble the battery-powered vehicles in Hazelwood if it wins the contract. “They’ll be built in Hazelwood if there is any way possible,” Marble said. The Postal Service announced in January it wants new, more efficient delivery vehicles that will last 20 years. The contract would be worth $5 billion. Under the agency’s timetable, the contract would be awarded in January 2017 with production beginning a year later. Emerald — a startup maker of electric vehicles with its engineering operations in the United Kingdom — has survived the Postal Service’s first round of selecting qualified providers. But now Emerald is up against some automotive titans — including Ford, Nissan and Fiat Chrysler — to remain in the competition. Marble said Emerald would, at full production, need more than 1,300 workers to assemble Postal Service vans in Hazelwood. The company is hoping to win the contract with the same battery-powered drivetrain it is developing for London Taxi Co. and the U.K.’s Royal Mail. For the U.S. Postal Service, Emerald is offering a delivery vehicle with a lightweight aluminum chassis, Marble said. Lithium ion batteries charged nightly would power the vehicle’s electric motor. The vans would carry a small gasoline-powered engine to recharge the batteries to provide a greater driving range. The Postal Service wants prototypes available for testing next year. In 2011, Emerald proposed building hybrid cargo vans in Hazelwood but had difficulty raising money. It got financial backing last year when China-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group acquired the startup and said it would invest at least $200 million in Emerald’s operations. Geely’s first step is to have Emerald develop for London Taxi, which Geely owns, next-generation cabs that will be required to meet strict emission standards. Engineering is being done by Emerald’s U.K. office. Marble said Emerald will build the taxis at a plant in Coventry. He said the company is continuing to develop a similar vehicle it hopes to provide the Royal Mail. [© stltoday.com] For EVLN posts use: http://evdl.org/evln/ http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=search_page&node=413529&query=subject%3Aevln+NOT+subject%3Are&days=0&sort=date {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-Emerald-EV-seeking-UK-contract-to-build-postal-vans-tp4675054.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
