HSINCHU, Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), a leading display and solar solutions provider, today announced that the company is one of the main sponsors of Apollo VI, a solar car created by Taiwan's National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences. Apollo VI is covered with high-efficiency solar cells provided by AUO. The solar cells could generate more than 1200W of electricity and enable the car to reach a maximum speed of 120 km/h. This newly-designed solar car will race for 3021km with 39 teams all over the world to compete in World Solar Challenge (WSC) in Australia on October 16.
"AUO is continually providing innovative and high-efficiency solar solutions with its green commitment," said James Chen, Vice President of AUO Solar Business Group. "By sponsoring Apollo VI Solar Car to compete in World Solar Challenge, we provided high-efficiency back contact monocrystalline solar cells up to 23% conversion rate that were produced by AUO SunPower, a joint venture solar cell manufacturing facility in Malaysia. With the support of the high-efficiency cells, we wish Apollo VI the best performance. AUO also encourages young talents to come up with more environmentally friendly designs and technologies to create a greener life."
Apollo VI is 4.7 meters in length, 1.8 m in width, and 1.1 m in height, and weighs around 130 kilograms without the driver and battery. The whole vehicle is covered with high-efficiency back contact monocrystalline solar cells in the area of 6 square meters sponsored by AUO. With 20W of power consumption per kilometer, the solar car could reach more than 120 km/h while the average speed is around 80 km/h.
The Apollo VI team consists of 20 students from National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, one of Taiwan's leading engineering universities. The team, founded in 1998, built the first solar-powered vehicle in Taiwan and has taken part in many international solar car-racing events. In 2007, the team won the second place in the adventure class at WSC.
AUO photos can be downloaded at the Company's website:
http://auo.com/?sn=479&lang=en-US
Any use of photographs must cite the source thereof is from AU Optronics Corporation
ABOUT AU OPTRONICS
AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) is a global leader of thin film transistor liquid crystal display panels (TFT-LCD). AUO is able to provide customers with a full range of panel sizes and comprehensive applications, offering TFT-LCD panels in sizes ranging from 1.2 inches to greater than 71 inches. AUO generated NT$467.2 billion in sales revenue in 2010 (US$16 billion) with global operations in Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the U.S., and Europe. Additionally, AUO is the first pure TFT-LCD manufacturer to be successfully listed at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). AUO extended its market to the green energy industry in late 2008. The Display and Solar businesses were established respectively as the Company's two core businesses in October, 2010. For more information, please visit AUO.com.
* 2010 year end revenue converted at an exchange rate of NTD29.14:USD1.
Safe Harbour Notice
AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), a global leader of TFT-LCD panels, today announced the above news. Except for statements in respect of historical matters, the statements contained in this Release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements were based on our management's expectations, projections and beliefs at the time regarding matters including, among other things, future revenues and costs, financial performance, technology changes, capacity, utilization rates, yields, process and geographical diversification, future expansion plans and business strategy. Such forward looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including risks related to the flat panel display industry, the TFT-LCD market, acceptance of and demand for our products, technological and development risks, competitive factors, and other risks described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on May 3rd, 2011.
