Bay Harbor Parade to Showcase Over 200 GEM Battery-Electric Vehicles

Fargo, ND - June 22, 2009 - Nonprofit Bay Harbor Foundation and electric automaker Global Electric Motorcars are set to champion clean driving at the Bay Harbor Vintage Car and Boat Festival on Friday, June 26 at 7 p.m. EDT. As an annual fundraising effort that draws 8,000 - 10,000 spectators, the Bay Harbor Festival focuses on eco-driving this year by featuring old and new electric vehicles in its highly anticipated parade. Predicted to be the world's biggest display of electric vehicles, the parade anticipates a line-up of over 200 zero-emission GEM cars as well as other electric automobiles.

The Bay Harbor Festival has themed this year's event "Electric Atmosphere" to celebrate the benefits of green transportation in the Bay Harbor community. As the nation's first resort community to fully integrate the use of GEM battery-electric vehicles, Bay Harbor is a longtime advocate of environmentally sound transportation solutions. Proceeds from the festival will help fund grants for local health and human service programs, as well as environmental, arts, and educational organizations in Northern Michigan. The Bay Harbor Foundation hopes that the parade's impressive line-up will set a Guinness World Record for the longest parade of electric vehicles.

For Bay Harbor residents, making the switch to clean driving has been good for the environment and convenient - nearby dealership Fox Motors in Charlevoix has sold roughly two-thirds of all the electric cars in the community. Much more economical in price and fuel consumption than traditional automobiles, GEM cars drive the equivalent of 150 miles per gallon, or two cents per mile. To date, GEM cars have been driven over 300 million emission-free miles, saving over 15 million gallons of gas, and preventing over 180 tons of ozone-producing pollutants from reaching the air.

"Bay Harbor is a wonderful example of a community embracing transportation solutions that are both green and smart," says GEM President and COO Rick Kasper. "We're thrilled to be participating in the Bay Harbor Foundation's parade and hope it inspires others to adopt clean driving as a way of life."