ONTARIO, CAM – Phoenix Motorcars has received (via The Energy Blog) 75 fleet orders from several municipalities and a utility company for its zero-emission, all-electric, freeway-ready sports utility truck. The company, which is on target to manufacture and sell 500 fleet-ready vehicles by year’s end, will produce 16 pilot-build vehicles next in May, according to the Web site www.environmentalleader.com.

Some of the 16 vehicles will be used to continue validation of the federally mandated safety test process. The company is working with Boshart Engineering, an Ontario, Calif., company that specializes in vehicle certification services, to gain its Federal Motor Vehicle Certification.

The company also confirmed that in consideration for a three-year exclusivity agreement within the United States, Altair Nanotechnologies received a 16.6 percent ownership in the company. The three-year exclusivity agreement provides Phoenix with limited, exclusive use of Altairnano’s NanoSafe battery packs in four-wheel, all-electric vehicles having a gross weight up to 6,000 pounds. Phoenix must meet minimum battery pack purchases, annually, to maintain the limited exclusivity agreement. The minimum commitment to maintain exclusivity for 2007 would provide $16 million in battery pack sales to Altairnano, according to the Web site www.environmentalleader.com.

The Phoenix Motorcars sport utility truck can cruise on the freeway at up to 95 m.p.h. while carrying five passengers and a full payload. It exceeds all specifications for a Type III ZEV and has a driving range of 130 miles. Its battery can be recharged in less than 10 minutes and has a life-span of 12 years or more.