Echo Automotive, a developer of technologies enabling the cost-effective aftermarket addition of fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid capability to new or existing vehicles, has lined up several customers for beta testing of its award-winning EchoDrive™ plug-in hybrid. EchoDrive beta units are expected to be delivered within the second quarter.
Echo Automotive will install the units on customers’ existing vehicles, which be placed back in service within their respective fleets. Drivers will use the EchoDrive plug-in hybrid powered vans in their standard day-to-day business, and throughout the test period, system data will be captured and reported back to the Echo Automotive development team. Data will be used in fine-tuning the EchoDrive system for production application. Delivery of production volume units is expected later this year.
“We are pleased to announce that almost all of our first year production units have been reserved and that we have begun taking orders for 2015,” Amy Dobrikova, vice president of sales and business development of Echo Automotive, stated in the news release. “Betas will soon be deployed in fleets across the nation within Fortune 500 companies and leading universities, government agencies, municipalities and utilities. The diverse mix of customers speaks to the broad appeal of EchoDrive. Many of our customers are leading the way in alternative fuels adoption and are aggressively pursuing fossil fuel independence through their sustainability programs, others are solely focused on cost savings for their fleets, and all are committed to finding innovative solutions that meet their unique business needs. We are excited to be included in their initiatives and we look forward to sharing their success stories as implementations progress.”
EchoDrive’s non-invasive plug-in hybrid solution for new or existing vehicles eliminates the need for high infrastructure costs. It offers fleet managers a low-cost point of entry to high fuel efficiency, as well as a long product lifespan and financing options that make shorter return-on-investment possible.
“This is a remarkably exciting time for Echo,” said Dan Kennedy, co-founder and CEO, Echo Automotive. “Our business plan and our sales traction is exceeding our original expectations, and our customers recognize the value that EchoDrive will deliver to their fleets in both the short term and the long term. While our agreements prevent us from naming specific customers at this time, everyone at Echo is pleased to provide our services to the industry-leading companies and organizations that have selected EchoDrive’s truly game-changing technology for their fleets.”
Production of EchoDrive units for the Ford E-Series platform is scheduled to begin later this year, and production for EchoDrive units supporting the GM 2500 and 3500 platform is expected in early 2015.
For more information visit www.echoautomotive.com
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