Little Guy Worldwide Partners with The University of Akron to Develop "Going Green" Teardrop Camper

United States of America (Press Release) May 12, 2008 -- Imagine driving from Akron, Ohio to Disney World in Orlando, Florida on one tank of gas. That's precisely what students at The University of Akron are undertaking in collaboration with Little Guy Worldwide, the world's leading seller of teardrop camper trailers.

Already a "green" alternative to larger travel trailers or gas guzzling motor homes, Little Guy Teardrops are the perfect candidate for such a project. Using an aerodynamic teardrop design and lightweight construction, Little Guy Teardrop Camper Trailers presently have a negligible impact on the gas mileage of the tow vehicle--impacting overall fuel economy only by about one or two percent. This project with The University of Akron's College of Engineering seeks to make these cozy little teardrops even more practical for owners of hybrid and all-electric vehicles.

According to Scott Hubble, Director of Marketing for Little Guy Worldwide and also a graduate of The University of Akron School of Law and the College of Business Administration, "We plan to install flexible solar panels on the roof of the teardrop camper and to incorporate a substantial battery array into the design of the trailer, providing a significant source of additional power for the electric or hybrid tow vehicle. We also plan to include a biodiesiel generator that runs on vegetable oil or french fry oil. The solar panels can recharge the batteries while the vehicle is in tow, and the generator can replenish battery charge whenever the vehicle is stopped. We hope to extend the range of a hybrid tow vehicle by a factor of two. This would enable a Toyota Prius, for example, to drive from Akron, Ohio to Disney World on one tank of gas plus the initial charge of the battery array and the small biodiesiel reservoir."

For all-electric vehicles, the approach is a little different. Little Guy Worldwide markets a smaller towable luggage trailer called the TravelMate. At only 360 pounds, this teardrop is able to haul thirty cubic feet of luggage or gear behind just about any vehicle on the market. Some customers even tow the TravelMate behind motorcycles. Of course, there's no sleeping compartment in the TravelMate, but it's small size makes it ideal as a booster for all-electric vehicles. The TravelMate will include solar panels, batteries, and a small biodiesel generator.

According to Chris Baum, Director of Development with Little Guy Worldwide, "The goal of the TravelMate conversion is to extend the limited range of all-electric vehicles from the typical thirty to sixty miles to somewhere around two hundred miles. The electric car owner will commute to work or drive short distances without aid of this booster, and for longer trips they can simply hitch up the booster and drive out of town. An added bonus is that the booster can be used as a stand-alone power plant/generator to provide power while in the field or in during emergencies or when power goes out at home. We expect this product to be very popular."

Little Guy Worldwide expects to unveil prototypes sometime before the end of the year. The project is being undertaken by mechanical and electrical engineering students at The University of Akron.

Little Guy Teardrop Camper Trailers are regularly featured on the Price Is Right ® television game show and can be purchased through a worldwide network of dealers or at select Gander Mountain locations nationwide.

For dealer inquiries or product information, contact Chris Baum or Joe Kicos at 877-545-4897. Additional model and product information can also be viewed online at http://www.golittleguy.com.