Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions to Provide Hybrid Battery System for...

Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions to Provide Hybrid Battery
System for Newest Car From Chery

DETROIT, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy-conscious consumers in China will
have a new hybrid option when Chery Automobile launches its new A5 ISG sedan
in the latter half of 2008. Combining the advantages of fuel and electric
vehicles, the new car is low in emission and fuel-consumption together with
high performance. The new car will be powered by a hybrid battery system
developed by Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070930/AQSU001LOGO)
Chery Automobile, a major Chinese auto manufacturer, has chosen nickel
metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries from Johnson Controls-Saft for its latest
vehicle. The joint venture between Johnson Controls and Saft will draw on its
considerable presence worldwide for this contract. In the first phase the
Ni-MH cells will be manufactured in France, development work will be carried
out in the United States and the battery integration will take place in China.
"As car sales continue to significantly increase in China, Johnson
Controls-Saft is committed to partnering with automakers to develop
fuel-efficient vehicles for consumers who want -- and need -- to make
purchasing decisions that are good for the environment," said Mary Ann Wright,
who leads the Johnson Controls-Saft joint venture and is vice president and
general manager of Johnson Controls' hybrid battery business.
According to Wright, the company is developing, manufacturing and
integrating advanced hybrid battery systems to provide consumers with smaller
and lighter batteries, which are also more powerful, durable, safe and
affordable.
"With world-class engineering centers in the United States, Europe and
China, we have the technical capability to partner with our customers as
consumers around the world increasingly demand energy-efficient, high
performance vehicles," Wright said.
In addition to its engineering center and manufacturing facility in
Shanghai, Johnson Controls-Saft will also work with local engineering firms in
China. According to Wright, the joint collaboration in engineering will allow
experienced Johnson Controls-Saft engineers to work hand-in-hand with some of
China's best young talent in the automotive industry.
"This is as much about the successful launch and ability to commercially
manufacture this vehicle as it is about the development of an effective
engineering team with the technical capabilities to support China's fast
growing future needs in the hybrid automotive market," she said.
Johnson Controls-Saft is a joint venture that has brought together Johnson
Controls -- the world's leading supplier of automotive batteries and a company
deeply experienced in integrated automotive systems solutions -- with Saft, an
advanced energy storage solutions provider with extensive advanced energy
storage solutions expertise.
About Saft
Saft (Euronext: Saft) is a world specialist in the design and manufacture
of high-tech batteries for industry. Saft batteries are used in high
performance applications such as industrial infrastructure and processes,
transportation, space and defence. Saft is the world's leading manufacturer of
nickel-cadmium batteries for industrial applications and of primary lithium
batteries for a wide range of end markets. The group is also the European
leader for specialised advanced technologies for the defence and space
industries. With approximately 3,800 employees worldwide, Saft is present in
18 countries. Its 18 manufacturing sites and extensive sales network enable
the group to serve its customers worldwide. For more information, visit Saft
at http://www.saftbatteries.com
About Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) is the global leader that brings ingenuity to
the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies,
products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the
relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 140,000
employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our
products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and
one million commercial buildings. Our commitment to sustainability drives our
environmental stewardship, good corporate citizenship in our workplaces and
communities, and the products and services we provide to customers. For
additional information, please visit http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/.
SOURCE Johnson Controls

Rebecca Fitzgerald of Johnson Controls, +1-414-524-2945,
Rebecca.K.Fitzgerald@jci.com; or Jill Ledger of Saft, +33 149931777,
Jill.Ledger@saftbatteries.com