Maxwell will supply ultracaps for Milan's electric buses

About a year ago, Maxwell Technologies told the world about the Chinese government using its ultracapacitors in various official vehicles. Another July brings another announcement, and so we learn that the city of Milan, Italy will soon be using Maxwell's ultracap modules in its hybrid and electric buses. The 125-volt BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor modules will store energy from the bus' brakes and then spit it back out for torque assist when the driver steps on the accelerator. Overhead electric lines or a diesel generator will supply the rest of the energy needed to move the public transit vehicles. Milan has ordered 70 buses from Vossloh Kiepe and Van Hool and will soon take deliver of the first 15. More details after the break.

[Source: Maxwell Technologies Inc.]


PRESS RELEASE

European Drive Train Integrator Selects Maxwell Technologies to Supply Ultracapacitor Modules for Emission-Free Electric Buses for Milan

Ultracapacitors Provide Efficient, Low-Maintenance, Energy Storage for Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

SAN DIEGO, July 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Maxwell Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:MXWL) announced today that Vossloh Kiepe GmbH, a leading producer of heavy vehicle drive systems, has selected Maxwell's 125-volt BOOSTCAP(R) ultracapacitor modules for braking energy recuperation and torque assist in emission-free electric buses it is producing in collaboration with Van Hool NV for the Milan, Italy, municipal transit system.

The Vossloh-Van Hool buses for Milan are low-floor articulated vehicles equipped with ultracapacitor-based energy storage systems that absorb and store energy from recuperative braking for reuse in powering zero-emission electric motors. The basic drive system can be augmented with energy supplied via overhead lines or a 100-kilowat diesel generator set that is certified in compliance with the Euro-5 emission standard. The city of Milan recently announced that it is taking delivery of the first 15 of a total of 70 vehicles it has ordered from Vossloh Kiepe and Van Hool.

"Incorporating supercapacitor technology in our equipment fits well into Vossloh Kiepe's company policy of providing environmentally friendly public transport solutions," said Bernd Flaskamp, Vossloh Kiepe's Executive Vice President for Commercial Services. "Using supercapacitors for energy storage to recuperate braking energy reduces energy consumption significantly and Vossloh Kiepe is proud to be a leader in the transportation industry in delivering this technology to the customer."

David Schramm, Maxwell's president and chief executive officer, said that shipments are scheduled to begin during the current quarter on Vossloh's order for a total of 300 BOOSTCAP HTM125 heavy duty transportation modules to be delivered by the end of the year.

"The HTM125 is the result of extensive work with Vossloh Kiepe and other leading transportation OEMs to develop a robust multi-cell module to withstand the harsh environments and extremely demanding duty cycles that are typical in heavy transportation applications," Schramm said. "The HTM125 meets transportation industry requirements for watt-hours of energy storage and watts of power delivery per kilogram, and is designed to perform reliably through one million or more deep discharge cycles, or about 15 years of operational life for most vehicles. This is the first of what we expect to be several series production orders for heavy vehicles in Europe."

The HTM125 is encased in a rugged, splash-proof, IP 65-compliant, aluminum chassis, weighs less than 60kg and measures 315x425x744mm. Integrated monitoring capabilities and a highly efficient cooling configuration enable it to sustain continuous current of up to 150 amps with minimal temperature increase in high-temperature environments. Up to 12 125-volt modules may be linked in series to deliver a total of as much as 1,500 volts. Maxwell also offers a complete line of standard 15- to 75-volt multi-cell modules. The HTM125 data sheet is available at Maxwell's website: http://www.maxwell.com/ultracapacitors/products/modules/bmod0063-125v.asp

About Vossloh Kiepe: Vossloh Kiepe develops and produces key innovative electrical components and systems for road and rail public transport services. From Athens to Vancouver, from Bremen to Geneva, and from Philadelphia to Gdansk, you'll find trams and trolley buses operating with state-of-the-art technology from Vossloh Kiepe. With its electric braking system with recuperation and storage of braking energy, a minimum of energy consumption and emissions and the Kiepe double-axle drive, the Vossloh Kiepe hybrid bus technology represents the highest level of environmental friendly bus transport technology.

About Maxwell: Maxwell Technologies is a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative, cost-effective energy storage and power delivery solutions. Our BOOSTCAP(R) ultracapacitor cells and multi-cell modules provide safe and reliable power solutions for applications in consumer and industrial electronics, transportation and telecommunications. Our CONDIS(R) high-voltage grading and coupling capacitors help to ensure the safety and reliability of electric utility infrastructure and other applications involving transport, distribution and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy. Our radiation-mitigated microelectronic products include power modules, memory modules and single board computers that incorporate powerful commercial silicon for superior performance and high reliability in aerospace applications. For more information, please visit http://www.maxwell.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements: Statements in this news release that are "forward-looking statements" are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors such as:

-- development and acceptance of products based on new technologies;

-- demand for original equipment manufacturers' products reaching anticipated levels;

-- general economic conditions in the markets served by the company's products;

-- cost-effective manufacturing of new products;
-- the impact of competitive products and pricing;

-- risks and uncertainties involved in foreign operations, including the impact of currency fluctuations;

-- product liability or warranty claims in excess of our reserves.

For further information regarding risks and uncertainties associated with Maxwell's business, please refer to the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" sections of Maxwell's SEC filings, including, but not limited to, our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, copies of which may be obtained by contacting our investor relations department at (858) 503-3300 or at our investor relations website at http://www.maxwell.com/investors/sec-filing.asp .

All information in this release is as of July 1, 2008. The company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the company's expectations.

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