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RAN
06-12-2009, 12:57 PM
Photo Release -- Capstone C30 Successfully Integrated Into Ford Vehicle by Langford Performance Engineering Ltd.

CHATSWORTH, Calif., Jun 11, 2009 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Capstone Turbine Corporation (www.capstoneturbine.com (http://www.capstoneturbine.com/)) (Nasdaq:CPST), the world's leading clean technology manufacturer of microturbine energy systems, today announced that its C30 liquid fueled microturbine has been successfully integrated into a Ford S-Max people carrier in the United Kingdom.
http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/12/120708/whisper%20007_road_little.jpg (http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/IROL/12/120708/whisper%20007_road.jpg)
To see a promotional video of the "Whisper" please click on the following link: http://www.capstoneturbine.com/news/video/whisper.asp (http://www.capstoneturbine.com/news/video/whisper.asp)
Langford Performance Engineering (www.lpengines.com (http://www.lpengines.com/)), headquartered in Wellingborough England, designed and modified the Ford S-Max seven seat crossover vehicle into a series hybrid plug in vehicle with a C30 under the hood as an electric range extender. Langford reports that the "Whisper Eco-Logic" car gets up to 80 mpg in early stage demonstration testing.
"The Ford modified by Langford is an extremely practical solution and one that Langford has been working on for over two years," said Jim Crouse, Capstone's Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing. "The design characteristics of Capstone's turbine permits ultra low emissions, high fuel economy, multi fuel capability, no coolants or lubricating oil, and little to no maintenance in an automotive application," added Crouse.
"Our Whisper Eco-Logic vehicle is a plug in electric car with an on board turbine generator to keep the batteries charged and extend the range of the car beyond that of a typical electric vehicle," said Dick Langford, Langford's Founder and Managing Director. "This sets it apart from the hybrids now available such as the Lexus and Toyota which use conventional 4 stroke engines to provide both vehicle drive and battery charging. In early demonstration testing the car is getting up to 80 miles per gallon and travels 40 miles on electric power before the Capstone turbine generator starts up and charges the lithium ion batteries," added Langford.
"Capstone was founded on the concept of a C30 powering hybrid vehicles so it is extremely gratifying to see the Langford Ford with a C30 under the hood," stated Darren Jamison, Capstone's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Langford did an exceptional job integrating the turbine, power electronics and batteries into the vehicle without impacting any of the seven seats or increasing the overall vehicle weight," added Jamison.
Langford Engineering will be marketing and demonstrating the plug in hybrid vehicle in hopes of further developing this concept with a suitable automotive partner who could commercialize the product for U.S. use and capitalize on a portion of the Obama administration's $2.4 billion outlined in the stimulus fund to get more electric vehicles on U.S. roads.
About Capstone Turbine Corporation
Capstone Turbine Corporation (www.capstoneturbine.com (http://www.capstoneturbine.com/)) (Nasdaq:CPST) is the world's leading producer of low-emission microturbine systems, and was the first to market commercially viable microturbine energy products. Capstone Turbine has shipped over 4,000 Capstone MicroTurbine(R) systems to customers worldwide. These award-winning systems have logged millions of documented runtime operating hours. Capstone Turbine is a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Combined Heat and Power Partnership, which is committed to improving the efficiency of the nation's energy infrastructure and reducing emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. A UL-Certified ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 certified company; Capstone is headquartered in the Los Angeles area with sales and/or service centers in the New York metro area, Mexico City, Nottingham, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is used in the federal securities laws, about the economic and environmental advantages of Capstone Turbine's products. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "objective," "intend," "targeted," "plan" and similar phrases. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties described in Capstone's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that may cause Capstone's actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied in such statements. Capstone cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. Capstone undertakes no obligation, and specifically disclaims any obligation, to release any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
"Capstone Turbine Corporation" and "Capstone MicroTurbine" are registered trademarks of Capstone Turbine Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
The photo is also available at Newscom, www.newscom.com (http://www.newscom.com/), and via AP PhotoExpress.
This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com (http://www.globenewswire.com/)
SOURCE: Capstone Turbine Corporation
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Finally! I've been waiting for someone to put this together for over a year. IMO, this is the perfect range-extender for a hybrid vehicle. The question is, where can Langford find an automaker that will build this powertrain?

wireman
06-12-2009, 02:33 PM
What a find RAN! This system is da bomb! Complete motor/genset, small package, no additional pumps for oil or coolant. Somebody get us one for the Open Source project! We'll show em' how it's done! Yeah, yeah, I know--- you probably have to be a OEM to get one for a decent price, but GAWD wouldn't it be great!

rogwild
06-12-2009, 03:01 PM
Yep, BUILT-IN "AFTERBURNER"!
Here is a picture of the C30; trying to locate 'specs'.
http://www.capstoneturbine.com/_images/c30_150px_Wide.jpg
Here is a paper about it running on diesel and bio-diesel. No size or weight info, but by the picture on page 4, don't know if it would fit in a Persu Hybrid.
http://www.pubs.bnl.gov/documents/35423.pdf
Here is another:
http://mttby.com/img/capstone/product_specification.pdf
From the info on page 9, I would think it would be too big/heavy for our applications, but this could be for the entire 'Industrial Unit' and not just the turbine.
Noise = 65 dBA at 33 ft.

ziggy951
06-12-2009, 03:33 PM
According to their documentation they have two small models.

1: 34.8"x26.2"x29.9" @ 325lbs (Engine & Fuel System Only) C60

2: 32.9"x22.5"x28.7" @ 225lbs (Engine & Fuel System Only) C30

Both can output up to 700V and 300A DC

It looks like youve got to add on two other parts as well. Controllers of some kind I would guess. Both weigh an additional 152lbs each.

Though its not quite small enough for our current needs it is still pretty interesting stuff. And they do mention scalability on their website, so maybe they can just make a smaller one :)

Specs can be found: https://docs.capstoneturbine.com/docs.asp

Click on the PDF for the HEV.



Z

wireman
06-12-2009, 04:06 PM
Yeah Ziggy, I guess I enthused too soon. But if it is scalable, we might see a 10 or 15kW model someday. The ratio of size to output seems to show that 15kW would weigh about 125 pounds, and take up--oh--rough guess, less than 2 sq.ft.? That would do the job!

RAN
06-12-2009, 04:18 PM
I've been watching the Capstone site for some time. It's strange that the president of the company said "Capstone was founded on the concept of a C30 powering hybrid vehicles..." and yet it's taken this long for another company to put the pieces together (in a car-sized vehicle).

Sadly, the C30 is almost certainly too big for either Ziggy's or WarpedOne's projects. It would be great if they would make a "C15," but who knows if the demand is there for one that small?