Bright Automotive
Encyclopedia
Bright Automotive is a startup company based in Anderson, Indiana that is focused on creating a fuel-efficient
line of plug-in electric vehicle
s. The company was started in 2008 with a team of employees from companies such as Google.org
and Alcoa
and has since designed its first vehicle, the IDEA . The IDEA is a plug-in hybrid electric
fleet vehicle designed to reduce fuel costs for corporations that maintain a large fleet. Bright also has a service branch called eSolutions that focuses on speeding up the process of car electrification with consulting and conversions. Bright's CEO, Reuben Munger has stated that he wishes to see the IDEA in production by 2013.
(RMI) under the leadership of John E. Waters. Waters spent years at General Motors and was the inventor of the battery device used in their first electric vehicle, the GM EV1, in the late 1990s . By the end of 2008, Bright had acquired $17 million of initial funding with plans to obtain more . Then, notably, a new branch of General Motors
called General Motors Ventures, LLC invested $5 million in Bright in August 2010 as its first investment in the innovative transportation technology realm .This investment by General Motors Ventures, LLC was an important development for Bright, providing both funds and recognition. Bright has also applied for a $450 million loan from the Department of Energy
under their $25 billion Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program; however, the application for the loan has been neither approved nor denied yet .
One of Bright's main goals in designing the IDEA was to keep the cost of the battery low. This was accomplished by starting the design process from scratch. Bright used aluminum for the body, which is lighter than the customary steel used in other cars. Also, Bright created an aerodynamic car and used low rolling resistance tires to increase efficiency. All these factors lead to a car that is light and moves efficiently, allowing the use of a smaller battery .
The IDEA was designed as a fleet vehicle for corporations and governments with fuel efficiency and cost-savings in mind. According to Bright, most current light cargo vehicles only have a fuel economy of about 15 miles per US gallon (6.4 km/L) and the improved fuel efficiency of the IDEA could save companies money in the long run.
Bright’s COO is Mike Donoughe, who spent 28 years working for US Steel, Chrysler
, Mercedes-Benz
, and Tesla
.
Fuel economy in automobiles
Fuel usage in automobiles refers to the fuel efficiency relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed....
line of plug-in electric vehicle
Plug-in electric vehicle
A plug-in electric vehicle is any motor vehicle that can be recharged from any external source of electricity, such as wall sockets, and the electricity stored in the rechargeable battery packs drives or contributes to drive the wheels...
s. The company was started in 2008 with a team of employees from companies such as Google.org
Google.org
Google.org is the charitable arm of Internet search engine company Google.The organization has committed over $100 million in investments and grants as of May 2010. To fund the organization, Google granted them 3 million shares during their initial public offering. As of August 2011, Google.org's 3...
and Alcoa
Alcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
and has since designed its first vehicle, the IDEA . The IDEA is a plug-in hybrid electric
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle , plug-in hybrid vehicle , or plug-in hybrid is a hybrid vehicle which utilizes rechargeable batteries, or another energy storage device, that can be restored to full charge by connecting a plug to an external electric power source...
fleet vehicle designed to reduce fuel costs for corporations that maintain a large fleet. Bright also has a service branch called eSolutions that focuses on speeding up the process of car electrification with consulting and conversions. Bright's CEO, Reuben Munger has stated that he wishes to see the IDEA in production by 2013.
History
Bright Automotive was started in 2008 as the offspring of the non-profit Rocky Mountain InstituteRocky Mountain Institute
Rocky Mountain Institute is an organization in the United States dedicated to research, publication, consulting, and lecturing in the general field of sustainability, with a special focus on profitable innovations for energy and resource efficiency. RMI was established in 1982 and has grown into a...
(RMI) under the leadership of John E. Waters. Waters spent years at General Motors and was the inventor of the battery device used in their first electric vehicle, the GM EV1, in the late 1990s . By the end of 2008, Bright had acquired $17 million of initial funding with plans to obtain more . Then, notably, a new branch of General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
called General Motors Ventures, LLC invested $5 million in Bright in August 2010 as its first investment in the innovative transportation technology realm .This investment by General Motors Ventures, LLC was an important development for Bright, providing both funds and recognition. Bright has also applied for a $450 million loan from the Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
under their $25 billion Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program; however, the application for the loan has been neither approved nor denied yet .
The IDEA
The Bright Automotive IDEA is a plug-in hybrid light cargo vehicle that is said by Bright to get about 100 mpgus for customers who drive 60 mile per day. It uses pure electric propulsion for the first 40 miles (64.4 km) of a trip and then changes over to hybrid mode with a 4-cylinder, 2-liter internal combustion engine . The IDEA has 180 cubic feet (5.1 m³) of cargo space with a load capacity of 2000 pounds (907.2 kg), and a curb weight of 3200 pounds (1,451.5 kg).One of Bright's main goals in designing the IDEA was to keep the cost of the battery low. This was accomplished by starting the design process from scratch. Bright used aluminum for the body, which is lighter than the customary steel used in other cars. Also, Bright created an aerodynamic car and used low rolling resistance tires to increase efficiency. All these factors lead to a car that is light and moves efficiently, allowing the use of a smaller battery .
The IDEA was designed as a fleet vehicle for corporations and governments with fuel efficiency and cost-savings in mind. According to Bright, most current light cargo vehicles only have a fuel economy of about 15 miles per US gallon (6.4 km/L) and the improved fuel efficiency of the IDEA could save companies money in the long run.
Services
In late 2009, Bright launched the eSolutions service, which combines with current vehicle parts manufacturers to help speed up the process of vehicle electrification. This process involves partnering with car component manufacturers to create lighter, more aerodynamic parts that can then be used in future electric vehicles. Essentially, Bright is using its experience with electric car technology to make electric vehicles more easily produceable . eSolutions' first contract is with the US Army Tank Command (TACOM) to test electric plug-in technology on non-combat vehicles. This contract, worth $1.4 million, will test whether or not hybrid technology is advanced enough to replace present non-combat military vehicles. eSolutions is currently providing the main income for Bright .Conversions
While eSolutions focuses on a broad spectrum of electric car services, one of its main focuses is plug-in technology retrofitting. This involves taking a currently combustion engine powered car and turning it either into a hybrid or a fully electric car. Bright advertises the service specifically for the VW Routan, VW Transporter, and the Dodge Grand Caravan; however, they are able to retrofit essentially any vehicle .Production Goals
Bright Automotive has stated that it wishes to commence production of the IDEA by 2013. This is pushed back from their initial plan of starting production in the fourth quarter of 2012, and could still be an ambitious goal due to finiancial issues . When production does begin, Bright hopes to manufacture 50,000 IDEAs annually. Currently, the biggest obstacle blocking the production of the IDEA is a lack of funding.Leadership
Currently, the CEO of Bright Automotive is Reuben Munger, the founder of Vision Ridge Partners, which is an investment company that specializes in clean technology. Munger was also a Managing Director at Baupost Group, LLC investing firm .Bright’s COO is Mike Donoughe, who spent 28 years working for US Steel, Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
, Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
, and Tesla
Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors, Inc. is a Silicon Valley-based company that designs, manufactures and sells electric cars and electric vehicle powertrain components. It was the only automaker building and selling a zero-emission sports car, the Tesla Roadster, in serial production...
.