A123 Systems Announces Organizational Alignment within the Wanxiang Group

Jason Forcier, formerly president of A123's Transportation Solutions Group, named CEO

LIVONIA, Mich.--A123 Systems LLC, a developer and manufacturer of advanced Nanophosphate® lithium iron phosphate batteries and systems, today outlined its organizational structure and strategic focus as a member of the Wanxiang Group. The Wanxiang Group, which acquired nearly all of A123's businesses last January, is one of China's largest enterprises which is not state-owned with approximately $22 billion in annual sales. The operational scale and financial strength of Wanxiang provide the stability necessary for A123 to thrive during the on-going industry consolidation.


Today A123 Systems announced that Jason Forcier has been appointed CEO as well as a member of its board of directors. As CEO, Mr. Forcier will oversee all battery cell and transportation related sales, product development and manufacturing activities globally. In his board role, he will work with the other members of the A123 board, Pin Ni and Tom Corcoran, to oversee all of A123 Systems LLC. The transportation business retains the A123 Systems brand and named Ed Kopkowski president of the group. Mujeeb Ijaz has been appointed president of A123 Venture Technologies, which operates the company's substantial R&D capabilities for the benefit of A123 and strategically complementary third parties. The board also oversees A123 Energy Solutions, which is the business unit focused on grid energy storage and commercial applications. Bud Collins remains president of A123 Energy Solutions.

The executive team is headquartered in A123's Livonia, Michigan facility which has continuously produced battery systems for the company's global list of clients since 2010. When considering the collective strength of the three business units, A123 employs more people in the development and production of lithium ion batteries in the US than any other company. Additionally, the lithium-ion battery activities Wanxiang operated before its acquisition of A123 contribute competitive strength, particularly in China. During the next year, these Wanxiang resources will be integrated under A123's leadership and aligned with the substantial operations A123 has had in China for nearly 10 years.

"Combining the Wanxiang EV battery business with the global footprint of A123 offers great potential to enhance our global competitiveness," said Mr. Forcier. "Both organizations bring key skill sets that are critical to our collective success and together we are well prepared for growth in our target markets."

A123's transportation business continues to serve a broad array of world-class customers including BAE Systems, BMW, Daimler, GM and SAIC, among others. The production facilities in Michigan continue to produce the majority of A123's transportation output and successfully launched the Chevy Spark EV battery system for General Motors earlier this year. Going forward, the transportation unit is increasingly focused on low-voltage (12- and 48-volt) hybrids to capitalize on the performance advantages of its Nanophosphate EXT chemistry and market-leading systems competence in micro-hybrids.

A123 Energy Solutions is a leading provider of grid-scale energy storage and still has the most lithium-ion battery power operating on electricity distribution grids worldwide. The business combines one of the world's most experienced grid system engineering teams with the production capacity to undertake large-scale deployments. In addition to its numerous commercial applications such as IT & telecom back-up, A123 Energy's Grid Storage Solution is a scalable energy storage system that the company offers ready to deploy for grid storage services anywhere in the world.

A123's world-class battery research and development organization which successfully commercialized the Nanophosphate cathode material has continued to contribute numerous advances in battery materials and cell design. To support its mission of discovering, developing and commercializing further battery technology breakthroughs, the unit launched a cooperative development model under the name A123 Venture Technologies earlier this year.

About A123 Systems

A123 Systems LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wanxiang Group, is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced lithium-ion batteries and energy storage systems for transportation, electric grid and lead-acid replacement applications. The company's proprietary Nanophosphate® lithium iron phosphate technology is built on novel nanoscale materials initially developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is designed to deliver high power and energy density, increased safety and extended life. A123 leverages breakthrough technology and expert system integration capabilities to enable next-generation products for its customers globally. For more information, please visit www.a123systems.com.

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