Global Electric Motorcars (GEM) Names Orlando Dodge as 2004 Dealer of the Year ORLANDO, Fla., March 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Global Electric Motorcars, LLC (GEM) recently named Orlando Dodge of Orlando, Florida as their 2004 Dealer of the Year. This award is given to the top dealer for the calendar year and is based on sales, service, and other qualifications. "We are pleased to award such an outstanding dealer with this award," said Richard J. Kasper, President and Chief Operating Officer for Global Electric Motorcars, LLC. "Their hard work and dedication to the GEM line of vehicles have resulted in strong sales of our product in their market." The 2005 GEMs are available in selected Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep(R) dealers nationwide. Four models are sold: the e2 which is a two-passenger coupe, the e4, a four-passenger sedan, as well as the eL and eS, which are two passenger cars designed with cargo beds for light hauling. "The GEM line is a great addition to our lineup of vehicles," said Mike Smith, owner of Orlando Dodge. "We are very proud to bring zero emission driving alternatives to the Orlando area." Classified as a low-speed vehicle, DaimlerChrysler debuted the 2005 versions of its industry-leading GEM electric vehicles last spring during a 9 city launch tour which included a stop at Orlando Dodge and their largest market for the vehicles, The Villages. The new model year was released last spring to meet marketing demands for this top selling, environmentally friendly, neighborhood electric vehicle. "Dealer and Customer feedback has been very positive as demand validated our strong sales for the 2005 model year vehicles," said Richard J. Kasper, President & COO of Global Electric Motorcars, LLC. "Zero emissions GEMs provide clean, quiet, efficient and affordable transportation. As an alternative to conventional vehicles, they can have a significant impact on air quality. And best of all, GEMs are fun to drive," adds Kasper. Improvements to the 2005 GEM include a new front suspension, a wider track and improved steering for increased maneuverability, a customer-friendly electrical panel, an enhanced Regenerative Braking System (RBS) and top speed regulation system, and a new digital driver information display. Over 30,000 GEMs have been produced and distributed across the United States and internationally, in settings such as city centers, master planned communities, rural areas, military bases, local, state and national parks, industrial developments, airports and college and university campuses. "All the projections are for continued growth in the marketplace for neighborhood electric vehicles," said Larry Oswald, CEO and Director of the GEM and Electric Vehicle Product Team for DaimlerChrysler. "GEM is already the industry leader in this market, and with these new models we are poised to broaden our leadership." Research in California has shown that when GEM owners use their zero- emission vehicles, they are replacing a conventional vehicle two out of three times. Most of those trips, 75 percent, are less than three miles round trip. "These short trips -- and there are millions of them each day in the United States -- are when most of the emissions are produced in a conventional vehicle. By using GEMs whenever possible, we can reduce even further the air quality affects of standard combustion engine automobiles," Oswald said. GEM vehicles are street-legal in most states where they can be driven on roadways posted up to 35 mph. The vehicles have a top speed of 25 mph and meet all safety standards established by the federal government for Neighborhood Electric or Low Speed Vehicles. GEMs are recognized as Zero Emission Vehicles by California, New York and other states. Oswald noted that GEMs are just one of the approaches taken by DaimlerChrysler to producing cleaner vehicles: * Improved internal combustion engines and powertrains. * Alternate fuel vehicles, including more than 1 million vehicles that can be operated on E85 fuel made from renewable ethanol. * High-efficiency diesels, including the Jeep Liberty SUV and Mercedes- Benz E 320 currently available in the United States. * Hybrid electric vehicles, DaimlerChrysler and GM will co-develop an advanced two-mode hybrid powertrain architecture for Chrysler Group, Mercedes Car Group, and GM vehicles. Also, Orion VII diesel electric hybrid buses have been delivered to New York City. * Fuel cell vehicles, where DaimlerChrysler has real world experience from a fleet of over 100 fuel cell powered passenger cars, medium-duty vans and city buses on the road. "As we enter our eighth year, we have made great progress in building a sustainable, profitable business with strong market potential for the future," Oswald said. "But perhaps more importantly, we are proud of our role in establishing a new market niche for electric vehicles with the potential to make significant contributions to cleaner air in some of our most environmentally sensitive areas." Global Electric Motorcars, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler and manufactures the industry-leading GEM electric cars. There are over 150 DaimlerChrysler dealers across the country that carry the GEM line of vehicles which are specifically designed for city transportation. DATASOURCE: DaimlerChrysler CONTACT: Kevin McCormick of Chrysler Group, +1-248-512-6218, ; or Christopher Mohs of Global Electric Motorcars, LLC, +1-701-446-0190, Web site: http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/ http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/

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