Aura Systems Inc. announced that the AuraGen will be used on the first 135 parallel hybrid electric Ford E-450 vehicles sold by Azure Dynamics Corporation to AT&T, Federal Express, and Purolator. This represents the first production orders of more than 250 hybrid electric chassis that Azure expects to produce over the next five months.
Azure evaluated several technologies for use in the hybridizing kit before settling on the AuraGen system earlier in the year. These units are part of the 1,000-unit order Aura has started to deliver that was previously announced March 3.
According to Azure, these hybridized Ford vans show an improvement of 40% in fuel economy and a 30% decrease in maintenance costs over standard gasoline-powered vehicles.
The company's AuraGen/VIPER is now available in 5-, 8-, and 16-kilowatt continuous power levels. All power levels are available in configurations that provide AC or a combination of AC and DC power. AC power is available in 120- or 240-volt AC or both voltages simultaneously. DC power levels are available in 14- or 28-volt DC or both simultaneously. The combined AC/DC system lets all four different voltages be used simultaneously. Later in the year, the company will offer a 230-volt AC, three-phase system and support for European and Asian AC standards.