Press Release | ES
Helix Motors prepares for global launch of new electric vehicle segment with appointment of new CEO.
IRVINE, CA, February 21, 2017 -- Helix Motors, Incorporated, an entrant in the newly developing global personal mobility market, today announced that John D. Thomas assumed the position of President and Chief Executive Officer effective January 20, 2017.
Thomas joins the company after a lengthy career of accomplishments in both the traditional automobile industry as well as the electric vehicle industry. With over 34 years in the automotive industry including roles in product development, operations, marketing, technology commercialization and executive management at companies including General Motors, Ford, Magna Steyr, Tesla Motors and ALTe, Thomas brings thoughtful leadership and enthusiasm to Helix Motors as it embarks on its global launch of an exciting new electric urban mobility vehicle.
Thomas was the first Program Chief and General Manager of the Tesla Model S starting in early 2006. Over the next 3 years, Thomas and an incredible team, architected a vehicle from the ground up where they uniquely designed a “no compromise” vehicle around the occupants as well as the battery pack required to power it. That vehicle has become one of the best selling electric vehicles in history.
Now, Thomas believes Helix Motors is well positioned to change automotive history in a similar manner. “With the mass migration to urban areas taking place around the world, metropolitan areas cannot sustain a traditional approach to private car ownership. Helix offers the world a new class of vehicles in response to the fact that 90% of daily commutes occur with just one person per vehicle.” Thomas continues, “Imagine a world with a totally exhilarating personal mobility vehicle that also is practical, affordable, delivers 300 MPGe and at least 100 miles of range.”
Prior to joining Helix, Thomas was engaged in the commercialization of state of the art technology working with teams at Oak Ridge National Labs, Monash University in Australia and several industry partners in the pursuit of a major disruption to traditional manufacturing and material science. The first of these disruptions will be the use of large scale metal based additive manufacturing (3D Printing) in a cost-efficient manner not yet widely utilized in industry. This process will allow Helix to reduce its tooling budget by as much as 80% compared to traditional automobile manufacturing approaches while completing that tooling in just 20% of the traditional tooling time.
Chairman and Founder of Helix Motors, Helen Lee, stated “I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for our company and its people, and look forward to working with John and the leadership team as we stay committed to delivering an outstanding experience, value and service to our customers starting with the launch of the Helix in the United States. We see great market opportunity in the U.S. as well as global markets which also await our personal mobility solution.” Ms. Helen Lee will continue to serve on the Board where she is joined by Ms. Robin Lee and Thomas and their current Advisors.
The appointment of Mr. Thomas marks the transition from a development company into a significant player in the nascent electric personal mobility market critical for future sustainable cities. The Company is quickly advancing its preparation for its production engineering phase preceding a series production launch. Thomas holds dual BS in Mechanical Engineering and BS in Business Administration degrees from Lawrence Technological University and an MBA from Eastern Michigan University.
About Helix Motors, Incorporated
Helix Motors, Inc. is a private corporate entity that is engaged in the design, development, and production of a novel 3 wheel electric vehicle targeted for use primarily in urban and suburban markets. The product’s unique attributes include a thrilling and safe “tilt and steer” by wire technology, 100 mile range in the base model, 95 mph top speed and 0-60 mph time in the 6 second range while realizing over 300 MPGe of fuel efficiency. The Company will leverage six years of design, market analysis and IP creation of an affiliated Company which is a significant shareholder and based in Hong Kong. For more information, please visit our website at www.helixmotors.com
CONTACT INFORMATION
Media contact:
Robin Lee
Email Contact: rlee@helixmotors.com