ATT RD (Korea) announced that it is seeking global partners to join forces and help develop and mass-produce "affordable" advanced battery electric vehicles .

This innovative company used the occasion of this year's Nesea Tour de Sol to launch and demonstrate its "Parade" EV. Admittedly, the only version on show at the event was the entry-level lead-acid model the "EV 60" (ie. 60 miles per charge) - but the company does appear determined to buck the trend/push the envelope with its ambitious plans to build both Lithium Ion and NiMH-based versions of the car such as the proposed "EV 150".

Earlier this month(June 6), ATT's Sales Engineeer and Body Design Manager Hyungpyo Woo told EVUK that:

"The planned NiMH version (EV 150) is just one of the options that we are planning to have for extended driving range. Our options include high performance Lithium-Ion, NaMtChl batteries.....The performance/cost ratio is one of the key factors in deciding which battery-type should be included in our EV 150 version. "

Europe - a better prospect for the "Parade" EV's than the US? - We also asked Mr. Woo if it might not now be a good time to consider a shift of focus away from the States towards the UK and Europe(the EU) where :

1) petrol prices AND eco-awareness are both still far higher than in the US ...and

2) there is no California-style energy "crisis" but instead a substantial electricity surplus - especially at night when most vehicle recharging would take place(..and, of course, the longer the range the more recharging can and will be done at home and at night).

Not surprisingly Mr.Woo's response that:
"EU countries are also targeted in our marketing strategy" ... came as rare music to our collective ears here at EVUK. He was also keen to seek our advice on how to maximise marketing impact here in Europe. Our response was that whilst we would like to believe that Government-backed 'cleaner-vehicle' organisations like Powershift and Alter Europe and the Cleaner Vehicles Task Force will pull out all the proverbial stops to fast-track these cost-saving, planet-saving vehicles into UK and European car-showrooms - unfortunately, experience and the facts suggest otherwise(ie. zero availability of electric vehicles - long-range or otherwise - in any vehicle showroom anywhere in Europe/the UK....).

Nevertheless, we are hopeful that many forward-thinking companies already using EV's (such as the Royal Mail, DHL, Electric City etc.) and similarly enlightened Local Authorities(Coventry, Oxford, Nottingham, Camden, Westminster etc. ) will be looking to acquire longer-range, better performance and - above all - affordable electric vehicles in the very near future - especially given the prospect that many councils will soon (next year, 2002) be moving to implement radical new powers to designate clean-air, low-emission "no-go zones" in any congested urban areas of their choosing.

Finally, we asked Mr. Woo if there was any possiblity that Korean company Finecell (Sungnam City) - who recently announced significant price/production breakthroughs in Lithium battery technology (see EVLN newswire report ) - might be persuaded to supply batteries for the Parade(an "EV 120" maybe?) . Surprisingly, no-one at ATT had actually heard of Finecell or its achievements but Mr Woo does indeed now appear impressed by the company and its products - and has promised to investigate. Watch this space!!

Please see also the following excellent Evworld articles on the Parade EV and interviews with ATT RD management :

1) "Parade EV Solid Performer at Tour de Sol"

2) "ATT RD Tackles Challenge of an Affordable Battery EV"

Any companies, organisations or individuals wishing to assist or support ATT RD in their "electrifying" enterprise - please contact: sales@attrd.com
(ATT RD's Hyungpyo Woo also asked us to include the following additional comments) :


1. We are very excited to hear the news that UK's Powershift program and EU's Alter Europe even exist as well as UK's Royal Mail is seeking for long range delivery trucks/vehicles.

2. We have proposed for US's Federal Express's delivery truck program. In other word, we can develope aluminum space frame hybrid electric delivery trucks at client's requirements or specification.