The Future Just Got Brighter

[kristopher]

The Future Just Got Brighter
GM's $5 million investment gives Bright Automotive a big push
By Kelly Vaughn

Last week, General Motors and Bright Automotive announced a new strategic relationship just two months after GM launched its venture capital branch to fund advanced transportation projects.

Bright Automotive, spun off from Rocky Mountain Institute in 2008, now has bragging rights as the first investment of GM Ventures, LLC. The $5 million from the auto giant couldn’t have come at a better time, providing a solid shot in the arm to drive the company’s 100-mpg plug-in hybrid electric fleet vehicle, the IDEA, into mass production.

“It's fair to say that almost every global car company is getting serious about efficiency and electrification,” said Michael Brylawski, vice president of corporate strategy at Bright Automotive. “In particular, getting funded from GM's Venture unit puts the deal in the right context. GM can invest in us as a ‘high risk/high return’ entity, and it lets us commercialize our innovative business model and vehicle concept.”...

More at http://www.rmi.org/rmi/BrightNetsGMInvestment


http://www.brightautomotive.com/

[phantom power]

1. targeting the fleet market seems like a good idea

[Kolesar]

2. 180 cubic feet--and lower fuel costs

impressive