WARREN, Mich., 18 Aug. 2010. Officials of the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, Mich., are looking to Smith Electric Vehicles in Kansas City for research to improve the range, battery technology, and intelligent power management of military electric vehicles, as well as to investigate military electric vehicle use on the public electric power grid.
TACOM officials say they intend to award a sole-source contract to Smith Electric Vehicles to enhance the range of the Smith Newton 12-ton all-electric delivery truck by improving the vehicle, as well as its battery and intelligent power management technologies. TACOM will award a sole-source contract, officials say, because they say Smith is the only responsible for this project.
TACOM experts are interested in the 26,000 pound gross weight Newton as one example of a military electric truck. Smith Electric Vehicles will investigate ways to improve the performance, efficiency, and energy management gains of the Newton plug-in electric vehicle, as well as determine the effects on the electric grid and opportunities to stabilize it. No contract has been awarded officially yet. The amount of the contract is to be negotiated.
If leaders of other companies believe they also would be responsible sources for this kind of electric vehicle research, they should contact TACOM's Marty Lynch by e-mail at [email protected] no later than 1 Oct. 2010.
More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/89a8d37acb3893cad0d716d08b43da70.
For additional information contact Army TACOM online at www.tacom.army.mil or Smith Electric Vehicles at www.smithelectricvehicles.com.
