It's been a long year since I last posted any update here, but I'm prompted by laziness in not having to type it all myself when I read another blog that sums it up quite well.
Here it is: http://autoindustrynewsletter.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/torotrak-where-to-now-torotrak-has-new.html
We have had several items of news over the past moths, V-charge coming to the fore as the test bed shows itself to be rather nice to drive (but other torotrak systems in the past have also been rather nice to drive too), Allison transmissions putting down a deposit on their last payment - moving them closer final exclusivity license, ETBM results actually working out better than they had expected for longhaul work as well as start-stop cycles, and the MKERS flywheel being put forwards for real life trials in busses, and Volvo cars showing interest, and the planned establishment of a systemisation and finishing production facility at TRK HQ itself all points towards "stuff happening" with more rigour and engagement with the possible companies who will be selling it at the end of it all.
Then, just to drop the bomb, Mr Elsy went and got a new job. The positive sign is that when asked he confirmed that he would be keeping hold of his shares, so it's not quite as if he is jumping from a sinking ship - and one hopes he's not just politicking that one by just holding on them regardless (after all, essentially his shares are a nice extra in life, not a necessity for the cost of living). If he does get to an AGM in the future it will be interesting to see if he starts in with any questions.
So we are into a new era - Jeremy Dearing has pulled the trigger on the ballista for next year with all the progress in the above mentioned projects, and to quote the last thing Dick said to me when I last met him - "by April next year we will be looking at a very different company".
I hope from this he meant one that is in profit, and that he was referring to Torotrak. Given him leaving he could have meant something completely different !
I continue to hold, I watch for Allison to turn into a permanent licensee but without further dilution of the share issue, the medium term start of the production of units for the bus trials, and more news on V-charge being not only announced as customer trial but also with possibilities of it being sold as a retrofit kit for petrol-heads.
With all of TRK technology that is not mainline transmission and power train, then the watchword for me is "retrofit". That is where the largest market opportunity lies for MKERS, and V-Charge - and it's a massive challenge but with massive rewards.
Until next time something pops-up.
P.S. Please don't cut and paste this onto forums - just link back to this article on the website. Thank you.
