LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 24, 1997--On June 17, 1997, a new long-range distance record was set by an electric automobile that traveled 1,043 miles on a single charge.

The vehicle was built by BAT International (OTC:BAAT) utilizing Kummerow zinc air batteries. Because of the strong interest in electric vehicles, the news spread quickly worldwide. Several TV channels picked up the news, including CNN, which aired the segment more than 10 times, and CNN International. Newspapers, magazines and other media also picked up the story, including many Web sites on the Internet. The popular "Yahoo" Internet site posted all of BAT International's recent news releases. Hundreds of calls have come in asking for more information about the vehicle. As a result, BAT has decided to showcase the vehicle to the public at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Orange County, Calif. (714/258-3001).

There are more than 50 famous cars on display at the museum, including the $3 million 195S Ferrari which Enzo Ferrari built for himself.

The vehicle will go on show at the Marconi Museum on June 27, 1997, located in Tustin-Orange County, Calif., and will be there for one month until July 27, 1997, when it will go on tour. The museum will be open Thursday-Friday, 3-5 p.m., closed weekends; for Monday-Thursday hours, call the museum. Most of the phone calls received by BAT International and Kummerow wanted additional technical information about the automobile and whether it could be viewed by the public. As mentioned in previous news releases, the record-breaking car was designed specifically for the Asian inter-city market. While it has the wheel base (length) of the Saturn, it was also constructed with a narrow width so that it could easily be maneuvered in narrow Asian streets.

Asian vehicles require a very strong frame construction due to the roughness of their streets and the fact that Asians tend to overload their vehicles. The electric vehicle has a payload of 1,600 pounds, which is approximately 600 pounds higher than payload of an average American five-door sedan. It can be built with a variety of body styles, from an open Asian taxi to a closed delivery van.

The construction is simple and is designed for low-speed travel, which is typical in Asian cities. The top speed in most Asian cities is 35 mph, with average traveling in the 20-25 mph range. These types of vehicles are becoming popular also in the United States; for example, Palm Springs, Calif., now has separate regulations for vehicles that travel under 25 mph on city streets.

These vehicles do not have to be crash-tested and come under different regulatory rules, which makes them easier and less expensive to build. Although this vehicle was designed for the Asian market, it may eventually find its way into communities like Palm Springs.