BUY A NEW DELOREAN 2017

DeLorean 17 OCT 2016 BY DMC PERMALINK OCTOBER 2016 LOW VOLUME UPDATE Low Volume Regulations Overdue For DaysHoursMinutesSeconds As summer finally draws to a close (here in Texas, at least), we continue to make good progress in most areas of the planned 2017 Low Volume DeLorean production. We have extended our planned start of production due to regulatory delays (explained below), but all in all are pleased with where we are based on our current planned production timeline. Chassis development is slightly behind schedule due to supplier bottlenecks, but prototype builds of the chassis are expected by early November. These chassis will be suitable for existing DeLorean cars as well as our planned low-volume production. This is an excellent example of how this low-volume production will be improving parts availability for the owners of existing DeLorean cars. In September, representatives of DMC met with one of our potential powertrain suppliers and a separate technology partner in the United Kingdom for Engine Control Unit (ECU) development. We are carefully evaluating our options here but are also awaiting further regulatory guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the results of which may affect our engine supplier decision. Also in September, representatives of DMC met with a potential supplier for interior components. This is still in the exploratory stage, but we expect more progress throughout the final quarter of this year. This Tier 1 automotive supplier has significant low-volume experience, particularly in regards to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) in regards to interior safety/flammability. As mentioned before, while the legislation that allows for low-volume vehicle manufacturing was signed into law in December of 2015, the actual rulemaking process for the implementation of the law is in the hands of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The latest update from the EPA indicates they may issue a “guidance document” that will spell out how low-volume manufacturers (like DMC) can register with the EPA and comply with the laws regarding installation of certified engine packages. CARB officials are working with several companies seeking an “Executive Order” – commonly known as an “EO” – for engine packages that are suitable for the low-volume manufacturer’s use. This, along with some other action still being defined, is necessary in order to take advantage of the federal law. NHTSA staff are considering how best to implement the new legislation, and currently have no timetable for issuing regulations or guidance documents. The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) has been working closely with the low-volume law sponsors, Representative Gene Green (D-TX) and Representative Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), in urging NHTSA to consider issuing a “guidance document” allowing sales to begin in 2017 even if regulations were still being drafted. Accordingly, on October 12, 2016 we submitted a “Request for Interpretation” letter to the Chief Counsel of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that would deem DeLorean Motor Company eligible to sell vehicles while NHTSA drafts regulations. We’ll report more on this as it develops. In light of everything discussed in this update, we are still a few months away from setting a price for the car as we finalize the bill of materials and standard/optional feature list. However, the overwhelming interest and feedback from people interested in the DeLorean production can’t be dismissed. Beginning today we are accepting applications from those with interest in being placed on a reservation list to purchase one of the low-volume DeLorean cars. Because the standard and optional feature list is still being finalized, these are non-binding expressions of interest only. Our planned production is approximately one car per month for the first 12 months of production, ramping up to one car per week by the end of the second year of production. Respondents will be given first notification and priority before the ordering process is opened to the general public. 29 AUG 2016 BY DMC PERMALINK THIS IS NOT THE 2017 DELOREAN Over the last week or so, an online article from January of 2016 reporting on the planned low-volume DeLorean production has been making the rounds again on various social media sites. While the written content of some of the linked articles is fairly accurate, the photo (shown below) that has most often accompanied it is not, by any means, an accurate representation of the planned production car. notnewdelorean Photo © 2011 Maxime de Keiser The car illustrated above was drawn in 2011 by designer, digital artist and illustrator Maxime de Keiser as a modern interpretation of the De Tomaso Mangusta. Sometime after these photos were originally posted in 2011, someone added some DMC/DeLorean logos and claimed that it was the “new” DeLorean. The federal law that was passed in late 2015 that allows for low-volume production here in the USA states that the only cars allowed to be built under this legislation are those that resemble production vehicles manufactured at least 25 years ago. Therefore, the planned 2017 DeLorean will resemble the original 1981-1983 DeLorean models. Low Volume Regulations Overdue For The latest updates on the planned low-volume DeLorean production will always be here at www.newdelorean.com/blog – please help spread this around to avoid confusion and misinformation about the 2017 DeLorean project! 19 JUL 2016 BY DMC PERMALINK JUNE 2016 LOW VOLUME PRODUCTION UPDATE Low Volume Regulations Overdue For Legislative Update NHTSA’s Deputy Administrator and nominee for the Undersecretary for Policy at the Department of Transportation (DOT), Blair Anderson, was asked by Senator Dean Heller of Nevada if the agency was on track to list final regulations by the end of 2016, as outlined in the legislation. Mr. Anderson replied: NHTSA is actively engaged in implementing the low-volume manufacturer provision of the FAST Act. While the agency may not be able to complete a final rule by the deadline, NHTSA is working to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking as quickly as possible. Stuart Gosswein, SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Senior Director of Federal Government Affairs reports that EPA staff continue to work on a draft proposed rule for this program and that SEMA staff are working with both EPA and CARB to take actions necessary to implement the federal law. All in all, while we at DMC find this encouraging, we are still concerned about the relatively slow pace of the progress to date. Press Coverage After the May Update was posted, MLive.com posted an article on our progress that was picked up by other media outlets around the world including Breitbart.com, BoldRide.com, Inquisitr.com, Telegraph.co.uk, and CanadianManufacturing.com among others. Additionally, the July issues of Car and Driver (USA) and Octane (UK) and the June issue of Ruoteclassiche (Italy) magazines all carried stories about the planned new production. WMI assigned Since 1981, automotive manufacturers around the world have utilized a sophisticated numbering system to describe their vehicles – called a Vehicle Identification Number or VIN, for short. This number is a coded description of the vehicle – things like manufacturer, year of production, place of production and other vehicle characteristics. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regulations require manufacturers to place the complete VIN on their vehicles, and NHTSA has contracted with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) to assign a selected portion of the VIN known as the “World Manufacturers Identifier” or WMI. The original DeLorean Motor Company WMI was “SCE”, as the car was assembled in Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom. Since we have no connection/affiliation with the original DMC and the planned 2017 production will take place in the USA, we won’t be able to use that WMI. In May we applied for, and in June received, our WMI Code from the SAE. The first three digits of our VIN’s will be 1 D 9 and, as a low volume manufacturer, the regulations require that we also have a set of assigned numbers for the 12th, 13th and 14th positions of the 17-digit number, and ours will be 7 7 9. Steel vs Aluminum chassis After last month’s update in regards to our choice of a mild steel, e-coated chassis versus something like aluminum, we received a couple of questions from people asking the reasoning behind our choice. We’ve had several mechanical engineers with extensive automotive experience review the original chassis design and the structural requirements based on our planned performance upgrades in the areas of engine, braking and suspension. Based on this review, all have been of the opinion that an identical replacement, made from aluminum, would not result in any significant weight savings if built to the same durability as the steel chassis. Furthermore, designing a new chassis suited to aluminum would require extensive changes to the underbody which would be cost-prohibitive. Engine Update We are still a few weeks away from being able to install each of the two engines under consideration into test cars here at DMC. Most of the delays have been in regards to identification and sourcing – and in many cases, fabrication – of the necessary parts required to adapt our existing transaxle to each engine, including the clutch hydraulics. Fender quotes As the single largest dollar item on the bill of materials (when tooling is factored in to the total), we’re reaching out to as many potential suppliers around the world as we can. Having a part that is indistinguishable from an original, in terms of both fit and finish, is most important. Closely behind is being able to get these at a price that doesn’t adversely impact the overall bill of materials, and we also want it to be something we can retail to the owners of existing DeLorean cars who have had to “live with” a less than perfect fender. This will also take away owners’ trepidation of not knowing if they would be able to get a replacement part if they ever needed it. We’ve had two more quotes from a potential fender supplier – one of them being better than all the rest – but still have a few more to come through. Lead time for tooling for all of them is looking about the same – 12 to 16 weeks – so we have a bit of time before we need to make a decision. Building plans In our March 31st update we mentioned we have contracted with a UK automotive manufacturing specialist. His initial task has been to determine the optimal facility configuration for Year 1 (one car per month) and how we get to 1 car per week by the end of Year 2. In suburban Houston, Texas we already have our 40,000 square foot building containing a showroom, service/restoration center and parts warehouse. With some additional off-site warehouse storage space, we expect to be able to re-configure this facility as shown below to accommodate Year 1 and Year 2 production. Eddie Drive Version 3 schematic - ED 0105 - 10 May 2016 Development Bucks In addition to the two test cars awaiting the completion of evaluation drivetrains, we have three development bucks on hand. The first is being used for “packaging” of the new drivetrain into the existing engine compartment’s available space. The second is a stripped center section of a DeLorean underbody and is being used for interior development – seating, center console and related items. Finally, the third development underbody is being used for design and layout of the new chassis electrical system. We’ll have some photos of these to share in a future update, so stay tuned! Reservation Process We have made some progress – though not as much as we would like – in getting the reservation process, corporate structure and legal documentation completed. However, we are pleased to announce that we will begin accepting non-binding reservations in August. 07 JUN 2016 BY DMC PERMALINK CAR AND DRIVER MAGAZINE MENTIONS LOW VOLUME, DELOREAN MOTOR COMPANY Car&Driver_July2016 The July 2016 edition of Car and Driver magazine contains a one-page article about the passage of the Low Volume Manufacturing legislation and how it affects DeLorean Motor Company and other potential manufacturers. Includes quotes from SEMA and DMC along with some photos of our Texas facility. Great to see some more press on low-volume and how they highlight the potential for delays due to the EPA and NHTSA. Low Volume Regulations Overdue For 03 JUN 2016 BY DMC WITH 11 COMMENTS PERMALINK APRIL/MAY 2016 UPDATE Low Volume Regulations Overdue For April and May were busy months as we continue with preparations for beginning “Low Volume” production in 2017. Here are the highlights… DeLorean Chassis Update In April, we met with another potential supplier for the DeLorean chassis, as shown below. The original DeLorean chassis was made from mild steel and coated with an epoxy to protect against corrosion in one of those “it seemed like a good idea at the time” things. As the epoxy aged and became more brittle, and as the chassis would twist and flex, the epoxy would crack. This allowed moisture – and road salt in the winters up north – to cause rust. Over the years we have used various methods to prevent rust when doing chassis replacements on DeLorean cars, including: Powdercoating Galvanizing, followed by powder coating Complete stainless chassis Electrocoating (cathodic electrodeposition) followed by powder coating chassis Our present plan for the initial production is to use existing new old stock chassis, electrocoated for corrosion protection and powder coated for cosmetic appearance. For later production it is still planned to use a reproduction chassis with modified front suspension as soon as practical. Electrical system improvements In early May, we met with a potential supplier for a new wiring system for the car. The original DeLorean wiring system is plagued with too many connections, using poor sockets/terminals that are not weather-proofed. Even the original DeLorean Motor Company knew this to be true while the car was in production, and before the company closed, plans were well underway to completely redesign the wiring harness and electrical architecture of the car. wiring_eca Our plan is to update the wiring system, completely replacing the main harness with a modern multiplexed architecture, resulting in less wire (and weight), built-in diagnostics, and the ability to add many modern features that would otherwise be impractical. In any instances where we are using an NOS sub-harness, all connectors will be replaced with modern, weather-proof components. We have a complete system in-house now from this supplier and are installing it in a test car soon. Front Fender Update We have sent the 3D scans of the left front fender to various potential suppliers and have received good feedback from several of them. We have discovered that while the scan looks good, greater detail will be required before the file can be used to create tooling. We have a complete set of engineering drawings for each part of the car, but have discovered the drawing we have for the left front fender is a couple revisions OLDER than what was actually in production. In order to make sure we are using the latest specification, we needed to locate a later drawing. In May, one of our employees was able to locate the original, pencil on paper, drawing for the left front fender in a private collection. Because of the size of the drawing, at 60″ in height and more than 120″ in length, copying the drawing was not practical. Photographs of the drawing were taken of all relevant areas in question, and our CAD file is being tweaked to reflect these now exact dimensions to the final factory specification. lff_1 lff_2 Underbody Production The molds for the underbody were shipped off to our supplier in Ohio, who received them in good condition in early May. An on-site visit is planned for June to layout the timeline and procedures for production. One of the two molds is shown in the foreground and the drilling jig/rotisserie is in the background along with the cutting jigs in the “cages” to its left. molds_in_ohio Engine/Transaxle Update We now have narrowed our engine choices to two different suppliers, and have test engines from both of these companies being adapted to our current five-speed manual transaxle for further development and testing. Each of the two engines offers more than double the original engine specs of 130hp and 100+ more ft/lb of torque (original spec was 153 ft/lb). We expect to be driving and evaluating DeLorean cars fitted with these engines in the next 6-8 weeks. We have entered into a development program with a company that specializes in modifying the UN1 transaxle as used in the original DeLorean car. The purpose of this program is to test and modify the transaxle internally to handle the increased horsepower and torque figures the new engine will deliver. This supplier has received two NOS manual transaxles and work is now underway. Braking Updates In April, we also met with another potential supplier of braking systems in suburban Detroit and are continuing talks with them as we focus on improving the ability of the car by taking advantage of the greater space available by the use of larger wheels.This company is one of the best known names in the automobile industry and we are excited about the opportunity to work with them to dramatically improve the brakes in the DeLorean car. Wheels and Tires Also in April we had a very good meeting with a Tier 1 wheel manufacturer and were given a preview of some unreleased designs that could be made available exclusively for the DeLorean car. We also received initial costing for these new wheels in 17″and 18″ sizes (which offer the greatest tire selection). Further updates will come as this supplier relationship progresses. Regulatory Updates Regulatory work has been slower than expected, which has caused concern here at DMC. While the legislation mandates that final regulations for Low Volume Manufacturing be completed by the EPA and NHTSA by December of this year, progress is now only starting to be made. In early May, along with other potential low-volume manufacturers, one of our staff met with legislative aides to Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and met personally with Congressman Gene Green in Washington, DC. The purpose of these meetings was to express concern about the glacial pace of the rule-making progress and how it will affect not only planned 2017 production of DeLorean cars but many other manufacturers who are planning on low volume production in 2017, and the associated jobs that will be added. We are pleased that the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA), which was instrumental in getting the Low Volume legislation passed in 2015, has contracted with a regulatory specialist to work closely with the EPA and NHTSA to speed this process along. 31 MAR 2016 BY DMC PERMALINK LOW VOLUME DELOREAN ASSEMBLY UPDATE The most important part of the Low Volume Manufacturing legislation passed at the end of last year is the final rules for the program. The law as enacted instructs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finalize the rules for the legislation by the end of 2016. Low Volume Regulations Overdue For Note that this isn’t a countdown to the start of production, but rather a countdown to when the rules are due. We are still proceeding with a plan to begin production in Q2 2017, presuming this critical deadline is met by EPA/NHTA. EDIT: This is now a “count-up” timer, showing how far behind the EPA and NHTSA are publishing the regulations for this program. While we await the final rules from the EPA and NHTSA, we have been busy on many different fronts. February was especially busy here at DeLorean Motor Company in Texas thanks to all the media attention, both from the initial news story in late January and the promotional video (mistakenly identified as a commercial by some media reports) that still continues to attract attention, NBC’s Today Show also ran a story on us that has created yet another wave of interest. Click the image below to see the Today Show piece… todayshow_screencap Powertrain We’ve had some great meetings with four potential engine suppliers – two here in the USA and two from outside the USA. We even have a development engine from one of these here in our facility now to see how well it will fit in the car’s available space. We’re excited about this process and want to choose our official engine supplier as soon as we can. As talks progress and there is more to share, we will talk about it here, too. Other engine suppliers are working from CAD data of the DeLorean engine compartment, which was completed earlier this month, and we are awaiting data from them to help evaluate what engines are a “good fit” for us. engine bay scan1 engine bay scan2 We’ve also had a good conversation with the California Air Resources Board (CARB), who will need to certify that whatever engine we choose is acceptable for this low volume assembly program. The staff at CARB is interested in the success of this program and has offered some great ideas that we intend to pursue. They are also excited about the possibility of us being able to offer this engine as a retrofit for the existing 1981-1983 DeLoreans, as well. Bill of Materials A significant amount of time has been spent creating a preliminary “bill of materials” for the assembly of the DeLorean cars. The first draft of this has been completed, and we are now identifying the parts that will either need to be reproduced or otherwise sourced. It is our intent to reproduce as many of the currently unavailable DeLorean parts as required, making sure that they will be suitable for use on the existing 1981-1983 model DeLorean cars wherever possible. For items that will be used primarily on the 2017 assembly, we are striving wherever possible to make sure that they will also be suited for use on the original DeLorean cars, as well. Chassis Development Our CEO spent 10 days in the UK meeting with potential suppliers for both components and for chassis development. Our plan is to re-design the front suspension geometry, an area of the original DeLorean that certainly could be improved upon. We are also in talks with two different suppliers to manufacture the re-designed chassis for us. Some Great Outside Help Two “heavy hitters” from the car industry have been assisting us as consultants in these talks with various suppliers. Their expertise, automotive-industry experience and interest in the success of the DeLorean project has been invaluable. We have just recently also contracted with a UK automotive manufacturing specialist whose past experience as the Production Manager on the Jaguar XJ220, General Manager for the Aston Martin DB7, and Manufacturing Director for the McLaren Cars on the Mercedes Benz SLR project will be put to use on this project. His primary task will be to determine the best methods and facility configuration to allow production to ramp up from 1 car per month in Q2 2017 to 50 DeLorean cars per year by Q4 2018. Two Key Parts Two of the most notable parts necessary for the success of this project are the reproduction of the left front fender and the underbody. Most in the DeLorean community are aware that the fender has been in short supply since the 80s. The reason for this one body panel being in short supply has never been fully and accurately explained, but the fact remains that we need it, and the tooling was destroyed in the mid-1980s. In February we had a 3D scan of a right-front fender completed (which will be reversed to obtain LH scan data) and have begun sending it out for tooling and production quotes. If anyone reading this has connections to a company that can handle low-volume (500-1000 pieces) stainless panel stamping or forming that has interest in a high-visibility project like this, please contact us. FENDER SCAN1 left_fender_scan Many in the DeLorean community know that we have the only surviving, complete set of underbody molds along with the cutting and drilling jigs from the DeLorean factory. Several years ago we had these molds refurbished and then worked with a company in Louisiana create a couple of samples for us for evaluation. mold top molds bottom more infills and jigs Based on that experience, we are in talks with a few companies here in the USA that have expressed interest in being a part of this high-profile project and we have had an on-site visit from one of them to inspect the molds and discuss this further. IMG_8414 IMG_8436 Employment Opportunities We have had a number of unsolicited emails, faxes and letters containing resumes and inquiries about employment opportunities here at DMC. In April we expect to begin posting for new positions we would like to fill, so keep an eye on our “regular” website at delorean.com and we’ll also post here as we begin to list these openings. How to order the 2017 DeLorean We’ve had lots of requests for more information about the project and we’re answering some of the more general questions that we can here in these blog entries. There have been many questions relating to the features and how to get on a reservation list. We’ve established that, save for tires and wheels, the exterior shape will be closely aligned with the original car – and use new, original DMC stainless body panels. In-car electronics will be significantly updated to a modern standard with mild updates to the interior “look and feel”. The engine will be a modern, current year emissions-certified engine supplied by a major manufacturer. Initial production will likely be limited to manual transmission only, using a significantly stronger version of the original five-speed manual originally fitted to the DeLorean. We are evaluating the costs associated with building right-hand drive versions for non-US markets, but a final determination on availability has yet to be decided. We expect to be able to begin accepting reservations in April/May of 2016. A fully refundable deposit will be required to secure a place in the production schedule. Reservation holders will receive frequent updates about our progress and are welcome to visit our facility at any time. As we get nearer to the start of production, we will confirm build specification, allocate a VIN and give a time frame for completion. At that time an additional deposit becomes due and the order becomes non-refundable. The first year of production will be 12 cars – approximately one per month – with production currently forecast to begin in March/April of 2017, presuming EPA/NHTSA releases the rules on schedule. Production is planned to gradually increase to the rate of about one per week in years two through six. Stay tuned for our next update in April! 11 MAR 2016 BY DMC PERMALINK QUICK UPDATE… We’ll have our next update late this month, but wanted to share this story from about us from Houston Matters, a public affairs show that aired today on Houston Public Media, News 88.7 FM. Click to listen at the Houston Matters website. Low Volume Regulations Overdue For 03 FEB 2016 BY DELOREANADMIN PERMALINK THANK YOU! First of all – THANK YOU! It wasn’t our plan to announce the introduction the DeLorean resurrection in this way – a simple little local news story got picked up nationally overnight on January 26th and before we knew what had happened it was worldwide! We have seen and read a lot of stories and comments and want to use this as an opportunity, again to say “thanks”, but also to keep everyone updated on what is happening here at DeLorean Motor Company and our plans in regards to the “Low Volume Vehicle Manufacturing Act”. Next, we also want to give a shout-out to Congressman Gene Green (D-TX) and Congressman Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) who were the co-sponsors of the “Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act” (HR 2675). The Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) has been working with Congress since 2011 to create a reasonable and responsible regulatory structure to allow small companies (like us!) to produce a limited number of replica motor vehicles. These vehicles will be subject to equipment standards (think headlights, wipers, horns, etc) but exempt from vehicle standards (passive restraint, roof crush, side impact, etc). This legislation simply treats these vehicles the same as “kit cars” purchased and assembled by customers. Current model year, emissions certified, clean engines must be used. You can read the highlights of the law here. A key part of the legislation is that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) have one year from the date of this law being enacted to finalize the rules for the Low Volume manufacturing program. Going forward, we’ll be putting this countdown timer on each post. Without these rules coming in as directed in the law, beginning production in 2017 is in jeopardy. Low Volume Regulations Overdue For For DeLorean Motor Company, this means that we can now assemble and sell a complete, “turn-key” vehicle, using many of the same parts that were used to create the original DeLorean car from 1981-1983. Since the mid-nineties, we have owned the remaining stocks of parts, engineering drawings and some of the factory tooling and equipment and now have all of this in our suburban Houston, Texas location. Want to see how much we still have? Take a virtual tour of our facility courtesy of Google Places (kind of like Google Street View, but inside our facility). A DeLorean is made up of about 2800 or so individual parts – stainless panels, glass, seats, tires, wheels, brakes, carpet, seat belts, engine, transmission, nuts, bolts, washers and much more! We’re fortunate to have more than 95% of these parts still available to us as either original DeLorean parts, parts that we have sourced from new suppliers and many that we have had reproduced using the drawings mentioned earlier. That means that the exterior shape and design of the car that everyone recognizes and loves will be unchanged. What will be different about the cars? Well, we mentioned engines, and that’s a big piece of the puzzle that we are working on! Since we must use a current model year, emissions certified engine in these replica DeLoreans, we’re already in talks with four engine suppliers – two domestic and two import. We’ve signed non-disclosure agreements with all of them, so we can’t say exactly who – yet. We can say that the engines we are considering are both naturally aspirated and turbocharged, four-cylinder and six-cylinder, and they produce between approximately 270hp (200 kw) and 350hp (261kw). We hope to conclude negotiations and be able to announce our engine partner very soon. Many of you that are already familiar with the DeLorean know that the car originally came with 15″ wheels on the rear, and 14″ on the front. There are no performance tires in those sizes any longer, so we are looking hard at new, larger, wheels and tires. Larger wheels and tires means that we can use bigger brakes, too! We’re likely to stick with Eibach as our spring supplier, and have been in negotiations and had samples from a well-known German shock absorber supplier, too. Another area that will see significant upgrades is the in-car entertainment and connectivity. The original DeLorean came with a four-speaker, AM/FM cassette player – standard fare for 1981, but not today. For years we have been upgrading this part of the car through our service and restoration work, and we’ll continue to push that envelope as much as we can. A modern, improved HVAC system has also already been tested and is planned for these cars, as well. So, other than an engine, what’s keeping us from doing all this RIGHT NOW? In a word – NHTSA – okay, that’s really an abbreviation for five words – National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration. Part of this new law says that they have 12 months (from enactment, December 4th, 2015) to issue any necessary regulations to implement the law. So, while we wait for them to finish that part, we are moving ahead – cautiously – to get the rest of the pieces lined up to allow to begin production as soon as possible these regulations are finalized. As we head down this road (no pun intended), we’ll post periodic updates here to keep all of you abreast of what is happening. When we have an accomplishment (large or small), we’ll talk about it here. When we get stuck on something, we’ll also post it here – maybe one of you reading this can help or know someone/some company who can. Updates won’t come every day, but if you sign up for our newsletter, we’ll let you know when we do have an update posted. Got questions? Hit up our contact page and let us know – already we are behind in answering them, so we’re going to answer the most common questions here starting later this week! Once again, THANK YOU and stay tuned! 27 JAN 2016 BY DMC PERMALINK LOW VOLUME DELOREAN PRODUCTION For nearly five decades, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not distinguished between a company producing millions of cars and a small business making a few custom cars. NHTSA’s one-size-fits-all approach meant that these small companies were subject to the same regulations and paperwork burdens as the large automakers that mass-produce vehicles. In December 2015, the language from the “Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act” (H.R. 2675) – which creates a reasonable regulatory structure allowing small companies to produce a limited number of completed replica motor vehicles that resemble the appearance of cars produced 25 years ago or more. – was inserted to the federal highway bill (H.R. 22) and signed into law. The new law provides common-sense regulatory relief for small businesses that would otherwise be treated as if they were producing millions of cars. The companies are required to register with NHTSA and EPA, and file annual production reports. The replica vehicles will be subject to equipment standards, recalls and remedies. The vehicles must meet current Clean Air Act standards for the model year in which they are produced. The new law allows the low volume vehicle manufacturer to meet the standards by installing an engine and emissions equipment produced by another automaker (GM, Ford, etc.) for a similar EPA-certified vehicle configuration or a crate engine that has been granted a California Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Order (EO). This reasonable regulatory reform will also spur innovation, including advances in alternative-fuel and green vehicle technologies. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) have had until the end of 2016 to publish the final rules governing this program. This countdown timer shows the number of days they have left to they are now behind in completing these rules. Low Volume Regulations Overdue For In anticipation of this legislation, DeLorean Motor Company has been working for some time to identify a supplier for engines and other parts that must be reproduced to facilitate this production for 2017. A number of hurdles exist before production can begin, and we’re still early on in this process of determining the feasibility of moving forward. Further updates will be posted here. Visit us again here or at www.newdelorean.com and sign up for our mailing list to be kept abreast of further developments. Media inquiries SEARCH To search type and hit enter RECENT POSTS October 2016 Low Volume Update This is not the 2017 DeLorean June 2016 Low Volume Production Update Car and Driver Magazine mentions Low Volume, DeLorean Motor Company April/May 2016 Update GET IN TOUCH 15023 Eddie Drive Humble, Texas 77396 USA Phone: 1.281.441.2537 Fax: 1.281.441.2813 Copyright 2016 DMC - DELOREAN MOTOR COMPANY - Powered by ALL AUTO NETWORK