Start of the electrically powered street rally in Munich -- 31 teams presented on August 2

Munich. On Monday August 2, visitors to the e-miglia driver's camp at TÜV SÜD, Ridlerstraße 57, Munich, can gain first-hand experience of electromobility. This is where the 31 electrically powered vehicles will undergo technical approval testing before starting from the TÜV SÜD grounds to cover the 560 kilometers from Munich to Rovereto in four stages. The highlight of the driver's camp, which will be open to the public starting at 3:30 p.m., will be the presentation of the electrically powered vehicles and the teams at TÜV SÜD's site by SWR presenter Constantin Beims. TÜV SÜD is not only acting as technical partner in the e-miglia rally from August 3-6, but will also have two teams in the race. Also at the event will be Dr. Axel Stepken, CEO and President of TÜV SÜD.

Tesla Roadster, Jetcar, Tazzari, Karabag 500e, Multitruck Van -- from high-powered roadsters, compact cars, and transporters to two- and three-wheeled vehicles -- the variety of vehicles taking part in the e-miglia rally is vivid proof that e-mobility comes in a wide variety of ideas. From 3:30 p.m. onward, TÜV SÜD warmly welcomes everybody who is interested in this theme to its grounds at Ridlerstraße 57 in Munich. "We are delighted that TÜV SÜD is the starting line for the e-miglia. This gives us the opportunity of presenting the theme of e-mobility to the general public. Such a varied collection of electrically powered vehicles is probably unprecedented in Germany," notes Dr. Stepken. Together with his co-driver Markus Wimmer, Head of Corporate Marketing at TÜV SÜD, he will tackle the rally in the Karabag 500e. The second TÜV SÜD team is made up of Klaus Balow, Managing Director of TÜV Hanse, and Sirri Karabag, who was supported by TÜV SÜD in getting the electric version of the new Fiat 500, the Karabag 500e, ready for the road. Mr. Wimmer's view of the zero-emissions rally is that "The e-miglia follows the tradition of large rallies such as the Mille Miglia. Here, electric cars can prove their fitness for everyday use."

Rich variety in the mobility of tomorrow
Following registration of the participants, the technical approval of the vehicles by TÜV SÜD experts, and the official e-miglia press conference, the general public is invited to experience e-mobility firsthand. The event will start at 3:30 p.m., with a band playing in the large marquee on the open-air grounds where the teams have set up their driver's camp. Between 5 and 6 p.m., SWR3 presenter Constantin Beims will introduce the teams and technology. As a special attraction, visitors can test drive two-wheeled electric vehicles around a course especially set up for the occasion.

In the driver's camp, visitors can talk to the drivers, co-drivers, and TÜV SÜD experts to find out about e-mobility and learn all there is to know about range, recharging, recuperation technology -- in other words, recharging of the battery during braking -- and the fact that evenness of acceleration and deceleration extends the range of electric vehicles. All are aspects which interest everybody and which also play a significant role in the e-miglia, the toughest rally for electrically powered vehicles to date. After all, this zero-emission rally focuses not on covering the stages in record time, but also on using resources as efficiently as possible. This aspect will also be essential: while the e-miglia is only one of numerous rallies for electrically powered vehicles organized today, it imposes the highest demands on vehicle engineering. Richard Schalber, rally organizer and two-time winner of Paris Dakar, explains, "This is not a Sunday drive -- the e-miglia is a real endurance test for electrically powered vehicles." The daily stages, for example, are between 100 and 170 kilometers long. The driver best able to handle both the technology and the route will claim the winner's cup in Rovereto, Italy, on August 6 and get the prize money of 10,000 euros.

The endurance test is preceded by a kickoff event at TÜV SÜD's grounds in Ridlerstraße 57 in Munich. The program there:

Monday, August 2nd:
    From 1:00 p.m.      Vehicles arrive
    From 1:30 p.m.      Technical approval of the vehicles and branding
    2:30 to 3:30 p.m.   Opening press conference
    From 3:30 p.m.      Driver's camp open to the public
   4:00 to 6:00 p.m.    Trail course for electric two-wheeled vehicles
   5:00 to 6:00 p.m.    Constantin Beims, SWR, presents teams and vehicles

Tuesday, August 3rd:
     9:00 a.m.               Start of the e-miglia -- cars leave the TÜV SÜD grounds at one-
                                   minute intervals
    Approx. 9:30 a.m.  The first teams arrive at the TÜV SÜD Service Center in Starnberg
    From 6 p.m.            Recharging of the vehicles

Detailed information about e-miglia can be found at www.e-miglia.com.

For further information about electromobility, go to www.tuev-sued.de.

Media Relations:
Frank Volk
TÜV SÜD AG
Corporate Communications
Westendstaße 199, 80686 München
Telephone: +49 (0) 89 / 57 91-16 67
Fax: +49 (0) 89 / 57 91-22 69
Email: frank.volk@tuev-sued.de
Internet: www.tuev-sued.de

Claudia Rickmann
REBEL Marketing GmbH
Holzstraße 28-30, 80469 München
Telephone: +49 (0) 89 / 200347-15
Email: rickmann@e-miglia.com
Internet: www.e-miglia.com

About TÜV SÜD
TÜV SÜD Auto Service GmbH, a TÜV SÜD company, offers services from roadworthiness and exhaust emission testing to driver's licence tests. Services also include expert damage and value assessment as well as used-car certificates and vehicle management. With approximately 300 service centers throughout southern Germany, TÜV SÜD Auto Service GmbH supports about 10,000 private and business customers every day.

TÜV SÜD is a leading international service organization catering to the strategic business segments INDUSTRY and MOBILITY. Approximately 15,000 employees are represented at more than 600 locations throughout the world. Optimizing technology, systems, and know-how, the interdisciplinary specialist teams act as process partners to strengthen their customers' competitiveness.