General Motors 'EV1' Receives First CALSTART 'Blue Sky Award'

First of New Awards Given for Outstanding Contributions to Clean Air and Advanced Transportation Industry

Burbank, Calif. – August 22, 1996 – Just weeks from its official debut in California showrooms, General Motors' world-leading electric car, the EV1, and the company's plans to bring it to market this fall, were presented with the inaugural CALSTART Blue Sky Award, given for outstanding contributions to clean air and the advanced transportation industry.

The Blue Sky Award is a newly instituted international designation created by CALSTART, California's advanced transportation consortium. It formally recognizes significant efforts not only to develop clean vehicles and technologies, but to actively bring them to the marketplace, thereby creating jobs and cleaning the air. General Motors action to not only develop the EV1 but to begin selling it to consumers in California and Arizona won them the first award.

"This car is a great tribute to the power of team work, a commitment to innovation – and the promise of technology," said Dennis Minano, GM vice president for Energy and Environment . "When GM developed the EV1, we were not aiming to design a one-of-a kind vehicle. We were aiming to build a first-of-its kind vehicle – a clean car that has a significant place in the development of a completely new line of advanced technology vehicles."

"GM's actions with its EV1 are outstanding and should be recognized as such. We are proud to share a friendly podium to honor actions we both support," said Michael Peevey, chairman of CALSTART, the California-based consortium. "GM's launch of the EV1 has helped a new industry in California, Michigan and globally. Other automakers cannot afford to let GM get too far ahead, so this creates competition and drives market opportunities. The car is great, but moving to the market took guts and we recognize that commitment."

The EV1 electric car incorporates 23 new technology patents in its design and is billed as the world's most energy-efficient vehicle. Renamed from the famous "Impact" prototype, which has logged over 400,000 consumer test miles in 11 cities nationwide, the EV1 will be sold by Saturn retailers in Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix and Tucson starting Fall of 1996.

Bringing clean cars to market creates jobs and helps clean the air – that's why the Blue Sky Award is oriented toward significant market actions. However, a potential award recipient can be a manufacturer, developer or user of an advanced transportation product or service. Blue Sky Award winners are selected for bringing new vehicles or vehicle technologies to market; for significant implementation of clean transportation options; for significant technological breakthroughs that affect the marketplace, or for a combination.

"GM's action represents the epitome of what we want to recognize," noted Michael J. Gage, CALSTART's president & CEO. "To honor them, we not only present this award, we've committed to install the first public inductive charging station in Los Angeles County, and we've placed maps of every electric vehicle recharging site in California on our Internet Web site. The Blue Sky Award will highlight real actions like these to bring new, clean and efficient advanced transportation to consumers."

The Blue Sky Award selection committee includes as its inaugural members CALSTART and its industry partners, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and the Coalition for Clean Air. Today's award ceremony was sponsored by the Southern California Edison Company, Edison EV and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

CALSTART's more than 200 participants worldwide are dedicated to the creation of an advanced transportation technologies industry. The unique partnership includes defense, aerospace and electronic technology firms, vehicle manufacturers, transit and government agencies, labor and environmental groups, and all the state's major utilities. For more information, including vehicle charging/refueling site locations, check CALSTART's Internet Web site (http://www.calstart.org).