All Electric Bus by DesignLine Produces Unparalleled Results

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, June 20, 2011 -

- DesignLine Eco-Smart 1
buses travels over 150 miles on a single charge!

DesignLine Corporation, the leading designer and
manufacturer of electric drive systems for the commercial bus
market, announced yet another milestone today with its all electric
bus, the Eco-Smart I, averaging up to 30 miles per gallon (diesel
equivalent) in actual, daily passenger service while maintaining
100% up-time.  These real world operating results are the true
gauge of vehicle performance.  The Eco-Smart I is the only all
electric heavy duty vehicle with over four years of daily,
in-service operation verifying its superior performance.  

Over 12 months ago DesignLine fielded a fleet of Eco-Smart I
buses in one of the most demanding operating environments on the
globe - the Middle East.  While maintaining 100% up time
through temperatures in excess of 125 degrees Fahrenheit and the
other environmental challenges of desert operation, the Eco-Smart I
traveled over 150 miles on a single charge.  This is the
diesel equivalent of 30 miles per gallon or fuel costs of $0.13 per
mile representing over a 750% improvement over standard diesel
buses.  ”DesignLine electric buses excel in daily service
overcoming the desert heat, high humidity and sand intrusion
endemic to the Middle East region.  No other electric vehicle
has been able to provide continuous, daily service in our extreme
operating conditions much less compete with DesignLine on operating
performance.  The reliability and performance of the
DesignLine electric vehicle is in a class by itself,” said Duncan
Peat, Managing Director of Liberty Automotive in the United Arab
Emirates.  

The superiority of the DesignLine electric drives is the direct
result of a multi-year, over $30 million dollar research and
development effort funded by an investment consortium led by
Guggenheim Venture Partners.  ”Early on, Guggenheim Venture
Partners recognized the technological superiority of the DesignLine
electric drive system.  We are pleased to lead a syndicate in
a growth stage investment which has allowed DesignLine to refine
its electric drive technology.  DesignLine electric drives are
now positioned as the industry leader in all objective performance
measures,” said Darren C. Wallis of Guggenheim Venture Partners.
 Recent advancements include the integration of opportunity or
boost charging to further extend operating range and permit 18
hours of continuous service.

“DesignLine is very proud of the accolades earned by the
Eco-Smart I in real world operation.  It continues to set the
bar on overall performance against which all other electric buses
are measured.  Performance superiority can be found across the
full line of our electric drive systems from the pure electric
Eco-Smart I to the range extended electric Eco-Saver IV.  With
our focus on continuous improvement, DesignLine will be providing
customers electric drives in the near future which yield even
greater range and lower operating cost operation,” stated Brad
Glosson, CEO of DesignLine Corporation.  

DesignLine’s environmentally friendly bus footprint already
extends from the United States to Europe to the Middle East to
Japan to Australia.  New U.S. customers, Arlington, VA and
Denver, CO, are adding DesignLine environmentally-friendly products
to their fleet daily with other cities in the US, Canada and the
Middle East following suit later this year.  Current demand
for DesignLine products will require production of over 300 units
next year.  

About DesignLine Corp:  Headquartered in Charlotte,
NC, DesignLine is the leading designer and manufacturer of
Commercial All-Electric, Range Extended Electric and CNG Buses.
 DesignLine buses are in daily operation on five
continents.

href="www.designlinecorporation.com/">www.designlinecorporation.com
 

James Gaspard, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, DesignLine Corporation, +1-704-716-1020, jamesgaspard at designlineusa.com