Enova Systems Inc. (Torrance, CA), a developer and manufacturer of mobile and stationary electric, hybrid and fuel cell digital power management systems, announced that it has entered into a development and sales agreement with China's First Auto Works (FAW) for parallel hybrid drive systems for its hybrid buses. FAW signed a two-phase development agreement with Enova for hybrid-electric motors and power controllers for its newest hybrid buses.
Enova is working with both FAW and the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) to integrate and validate the new Enova parallel hybrid drive system for the buses. In the first phase, Enova's Panther™ 90 kW drive system will be customized to FAW's specification and evaluated for performance in three FAW buses.
During the second phase, anticipated to commence in early 2005, Enova will enhance its parallel hybrid motor and controller for FAW buses for increased production. The buses are anticipated to be used to shuttle athletes and guests at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and the 2010 World's Expo in Shanghai. China is potentially seeking up to 1,000 full-size hybrid-electric buses to support these global events.
