Alternative Fuel Provider of Vehicular Natural Gas & Services Formed

    SEAL BEACH, Calif.--June 14, 2001--Pickens Fuel Corp. (PFC), a private company owned by Boone Pickens, BCG eFuels, Inc., owned by BC Gas, Inc. , and Westport Innovations of Vancouver, British Columbia , have agreed to form a new combined alternative fuel enterprise. It will provide vehicular natural gas -- both compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) -- and related services in key markets throughout North America. The initial combined customer base includes more than 25,000 fleet vehicles fueling at more than 75 locations.
    "We have been developing PFC as the major company in the emerging alternative fuel market and believe this combination of forces will give the new company a critical edge as market demand grows," said Boone Pickens. Mr. Pickens will serve on the board of the newly merged company.
    Natural gas as a vehicle fuel has been proven economic and far less toxic than diesel fuel. Government mandates are in place in many regions and allied grant programs are available to facilitate fleet vehicle conversion.
    "The new enterprise allies natural gas fueling and infrastructure resources with light alternative fuel vehicles and heavy-duty, fleet vehicle alternative fuel engine technology -- the complete package to present to fleet customers seeking to convert to more economic and advanced technologies," stated Gordon Barefoot, BC Gas senior vice-president of planning and development and chairman of the combined enterprise.
    With the increased recognition of the toxic nature of diesel fuel, both governmental mandates and environmental consciousness are driving the conversion of an increasing number of fleet vehicles to the natural gas alternative.
    In Southern California, as an example, all new refuse trucks brought into operation after July 2001 must be powered by alternative fuel with natural gas as a leading option. Other markets targeted by the new company besides the refuse industry include transit, shuttle, taxi, police, intrastate trucking (less-than-load), airports, municipalities and interstate trucking.
    "We intend to increase sales in markets we now serve, as well as in new key markets in both the United States and Canada," noted Andrew J. Littlefair, president and chief executive officer of the new enterprise. "In time, we may extend our reach beyond those borders as other countries recognize the need for and begin to implement alternative natural gas fuel strategies."
    PFC was founded in 1997 and has grown to be the U.S. leader in alternative fuel services with principal operations in Southern California, the nation's largest market for these services. PFC owns and operates more than 35 natural gas fueling stations in California and Arizona. In California, the PFC network spans from the north in San Francisco to San Diego and east to Riverside and San Bernardino counties. In Arizona, PFC owns four stations in the greater Phoenix area, including a state-of-the-art liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling station in Tempe and a second Sky Harbor Airport station under construction -- the largest public access, natural gas station in the United States.