Firefly Energy Inc. (www.fireflyenergy.com), the Peoria, Illinois-based leader in developing next generation carbon and graphite foam batteries for commercial and military markets, announced today that the first pre-production versions of its BCI Group 31 truck battery - to be marketed under the new name "Oasis" - will be available for review and testing during the first quarter of 2008.

The company said its Oasis battery will primarily be utilized when the truck's diesel engine is turned off, and provide up to 50 percent longer run-times than competitors when powering accessories which collectively make up a truck's "hotel loads." This newly branded battery will be unveiled by Firefly Energy at its first-ever tradeshow appearance at Booth 1100 of the SAE Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress and Exhibition (ComVec), Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 2007, in Rosemont, IL.

"Anti-diesel engine idling regulations will soon become pervasive across the nation, and better battery performance will be crucial in contributing to trucker safety, comfort, and productivity," said Ed Williams, chief executive officer of Firefly Energy. "Our Oasis battery will help ensure truck drivers maintain a comfortable haven for their rest periods"

Earlier this month, Firefly Energy announced the commencement of its BCI Group 31 battery development program. Battery Council International (BCI) provides standardized definitions for physical dimensions of a wide variety of batteries, and the Group 31 size battery is a broadly-deployed battery type in trucks.  Initial availability of the battery will be in the summer of 2008, with full production of the Oasis battery scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2008.

Through its development program, Firefly Energy is responding to trucking-related regulations soon taking effect in the State of California and across the nation. On January 1, 2008, diesel trucks operating in California face a five-minute idling limit.  Traditional batteries will now be challenged by the severe strain of trying to support a trucker's various hotel loads (air conditioning, TVs, etc.) which were previously powered by diesel engine idling.  The result will be premature battery failure, since traditional lead acid batteries cannot easily withstand repeated deep discharging.

Firefly Energy's Oasis battery will have a sealed valve-regulated design. The primary characteristic of the first Firefly Energy lead acid battery is the inclusion of a high surface area, non-corrodible and light weight carbon foam material. Firefly Energy's 3D carbon foam unleashes the high power potential of lead acid chemistry which was impossible to achieve in the past.  This technology not only reduces the lead content making the batteries smaller and lighter, but additionally enables faster, deeper and more reliable discharges and recharges. This significantly extends the battery's life, makes it more environmentally friendly, and less expensive than lithium and nickel battery chemistries.

The company said conventional deep-cycle lead acid batteries used in trucking start showing sizeable performance drop-off after some 200 deep discharge cycles.

Mil Ovan, Firefly Energy Senior Vice President and Co-Founder, said that the Oasis brand was developed because of the strong fit of the Firefly carbon foam technology to the world of commercial trucking.  "What does the truck's sleeper cab mean to a driver who just finished a 14 hour shift, arriving at a Palm Springs California truck stop on a hot August night, and it's still 95 degrees outside?  Undoubtedly, it's his oasis" Ovan said.  "The greater run time and consistent performance of Firefly's cooler-running foam battery will enable truckers to get a comfortable night's sleep for the next day's drive.  A rested driver is a safe driver", Ovan concluded.

The Oasis battery will be valuable in trucking because it will offer continuous power through the discharge process, a fast recharge to 100 percent capacity, excellent vibration resistance and greater cold-starting capabilities.  Typical battery life is extended since sulfation is reduced. When tested in cold weather extremes at minus 20°C, the batteries were capable of delivering above 65 percent of their rated "room temperature" capacity compared to 20 percent or less for standard Group 31 batteries. This can help minimize alternator damage incurred while attempting cold-weather engine starts when batteries are low.

Additional characteristics of the Oasis battery include:

Energy Density - Because the Firefly design utilizes an efficient high-surface area foam, more of the available chemistry can be engaged, leading to greater efficiencies in weight and size.

Heat dissipation - Batteries with carbon foam electrodes instead of heavy lead plates are able to transfer heat out of the battery as rapidly as it is generated. Operating heat of the battery is lower, is also generated more uniformly, and is dissipated more rapidly, resulting in longer battery life in many applications.

Vibration resistance - The low mass of Firefly's 3D cells along with the better retention of the chemistry within the pores of the foam help make the Oasis battery more resistant to vibration.

About Firefly Energy, Inc.

Firefly Energy (www.fireflyenergy.com) is a Peoria, Illinois-based battery technology company    developing a portfolio of next generation lead acid battery technologies, enhancing lead acid battery performance for major portions of the $30 billion worldwide battery marketplace.  Firefly's first innovation, the carbon foam-based battery technology, can deliver a unique combination of high performance, extremely low weight and low cost, all in a battery which utilizes the best aspects of lead acid chemistry while overcoming the corrosive drawbacks of this same chemistry.  This product technology delivers to battery markets a performance associated with advanced battery chemistries (Nickel Metal Hydride and Lithium), but for one-fifth the cost, and can be both manufactured as well as recycled within the existing lead acid battery industry's vast infrastructure. The company is backed by multi-billion dollar product companies such as Caterpillar (www.caterpillar.com  NYSE: CAT), BAE Systems (www.baesystems.com  London Stock Exchange over the counter symbol: BAESY), and Husqvarna (www.husqvarna.com  Other OTC: HSQVY.PK).  Additional investors include Chicago-area Venture Capital firm KB Partners (www.kbpartners.com), and the State of Illinois' Illinois Finance Authority.

Dan Green
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