FEV supports the development of the breakthrough GIBBS Quadski, to be displayed at SAE World Congress

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Yet another company has called on FEV Inc. (FEV) for its calibration, testing, and technical expertise. FEV partnered with GIBBS Sports Amphibians in the development of the Quadski, touted by GIBBS as the first personal sports amphibian. The Quadski will be on display in the FEV booth at the upcoming SAE World Congress, April 16 – 18 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Mich. Gary Rogers, president and CEO of FEV Inc., made the announcement.

"While FEV is best known for its prowess in developing advanced powertrains, its full range of services is valued by non-traditional customers as well," said Rogers. "Our calibration and testing services have contributed to the development of many innovative transportation products, and the Quadski certainly stands among the most innovative of those."

The Quadski, a true amphibious vehicle, can reach speeds of 45 mph on both land and in water. The Quadski uses a BMW Motorrad K1300 water cooled four-stroke, in-line, four cylinder engine. On land the engine drives the wheels conventionally and in the water, the engine is coupled with the proprietary GIBBS jet drive with its reverse propulsion system. Transition from water to land use, or vice versa, is enabled by the push of a button, at which time the Quadski's wheels retract (or deploy) in about 5 seconds.

FEV's role in the development of the Quadski included:

• Technical consultation regarding regulations and certification
• Support of engine calibration and EPA Marine emission certification testing according to EPA PWC standards, including:
  • Oil aeration testing
  • PCV pullover investigation
  • Spark knock investigation on PON 87 fuel
• 250 hours engine durability testing including Power Take-Off Unit testing

The Quadski, certainly one of the more unique innovations at SAE, is currently being sold at select dealers in the US.

About Gibbs Sports Amphibians
Gibbs Sports Amphibians, Inc. (GIBBS) has pioneered in the development of its High Speed Amphibian technology to create the world's first personal sports amphibian to operate at high speeds on both land and water. The privately held company, founded by Alan Gibbs with Neil Jenkins in 2007, consists of two divisions – Gibbs Sports Amphibians, Inc., which designs and manufactures consumer sports amphibians such as the Quadski, and Gibbs Amphitrucks Inc., which builds commercial amphibians for first responder and military applications. Based in Auburn Hills, Mich., GIBBS currently has more than 100 employees. More information about GIBBS and the Quadski can be found at www.gibbssports.com.  

About FEV
The FEV Group is an internationally recognized powertrain and vehicle engineering company that supplies the global transportation industry.  FEV offers a complete range of engineering services, providing support across the globe to customers in the design, analysis, prototyping, powertrain and transmission development, as well as vehicle integration, calibration and homologation for advanced internal combustion gasoline-, diesel-, and alternative-fueled powertrains. FEV also designs, develops and prototypes advanced vehicle / powertrain electronic control systems and hybrid-electric engine concepts that address future emission and fuel economy standards.  The FEV Test Systems division is a global supplier of advanced test cell, instrumentation and test equipment.  The FEV Group employs a staff of over 2,400 highly skilled specialists at advanced technical centers on three continents.  FEV, Inc. employs approximately 350 personnel at FEV's North American Technical Center in Auburn Hills, MI. www.fev.com

SOURCE FEV, Inc.