DesignLine Corporation Announces Joint $30M Hybrid/Electric Bus Venture

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina, February 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

DesignLine Corporation and Liberty Automotive have announced a $30M Joint Venture to open a DesignLine UAE production facility in Abu Dhabi. The new facility will open prior to year's end with a capacity of 300 buses annually and projected revenue for its first year in excess of $80M.

With the Joint Venture and increased requests for 30', 35' and 40' Hybrid/Electric buses, DesignLine expects the resulting employment opportunities to more than double its current workforce in both Charlotte, North Carolina and Christchurch, New Zealand. Impact of these sustainable jobs will be felt significantly throughout the Mecklenburg region of North Carolina and the Canterbury region of New Zealand. Both locations will focus on adding high tech, full-time positions within the rapidly expanding clean energy sector.

The new DesignLine UAE facility will specialize in zero emission ALL-ELECTRIC buses; with the DesignLine proprietary software vehicle management system being supplied by DesignLine USA and DesignLine R&D NZ.

The DesignLine HYBRID vehicles produce 65% - 80% less emissions than the competition. Using a Capstone turbine generator, available in a 65kW or 30kW size, with the DesignLine proprietary software and hybrid control system, the DesignLine vehicle is able to operate in a zero emission mode for up to 40% of the day.

Renown as the world leader in the application of green technology, The United Arab Emirates enters its second year of utilizing the zero emission DesignLine ALL-ELECTRIC buses. Other Middle Eastern countries are actively negotiating with DesignLine to convert their diesel transit fleets to either ALL-ELECTRIC or HYBRID vehicles.

Currently HYBRID buses are predominant in North America and ELECTRIC buses in the Middle East, however the ever increasing HYBRID/ELECTRIC market requests span from North America to the Middle East.

DesignLine Corporation is the industry leader for meeting international public demand for cleaner, more efficient transit vehicles. Additionally, DesignLine Corporation is projecting to build in excess of 300 HYBRID and ELECTRIC buses over the next 24 months, alone.

Further information on DesignLine and its successful set of products can be found on the company's website, http://www.designlinecorporation.com.