Orange County Choppers Glides Into the Future With OSRAM SYLVANIA LED Lighting Innovations

HILLSBORO, N.H., Nov. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Fans of the popular TLC show American Chopper will witness a first when they tune in this Thursday, November 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The Orange County Choppers (OCC) crew -- founder Paul Sr., -- forges new territory with the creation of their first electric-powered chopper.

Another first for an OCC creation is the use throughout the bike of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting for head, tail and signal lighting. Supplied by OSRAM SYLVANIA, a division of Siemens and a leader in automotive lighting innovation, the lighting array includes the first OEM installation of OSRAM SYLVANIA LEDs in a motorcycle head lighting application. The lighting company partnered with its sister companies Valeo Sylvania to develop a state-of-the-art headlamp cluster assembly and OSRAM Opto Semiconductors to provide high-powered LED chips.

The Smart Chopper's 4.5-inch custom headlamp design utilizes an OSRAM JFL2-based JOULE(TM) system. The JFL2 is the latest addition to a family of LED lighting solutions designed to offer the standardization of current automotive systems in a compact, energy-efficient package.

"The Siemens Smart Chopper embodies the next generation of lighting design for the cars and motorcycles of tomorrow," said David Hulick, marketing director for automotive LED systems division at OSRAM SYLVANIA. "OSRAM SYLVANIA LED technology is the choice for this project because of its durability, energy efficiency and of course, its versatility. LEDs offer endless design opportunities for car and motorcycle makers while reducing energy consumption by 85 percent over conventional lighting applications."

Along with the JFL2 JOULE(TM) system, the Siemens Smart Chopper features:

• Two Amber LED "MonoLED" one-inch dome front turn signals
• Two example lamps for use of "dome and tunnel" style design for the tail lamps (red stop and amber turn signal)
• Two boards each with six OSRAM Opto Semiconductors Advanced Power TOPLED in red and yellow for front and rear turn signals
• One LINEARlight Flex Top Colormix system for Red-Green-Blue (RGB) body lighting.
  

"This was the first time we used LED lighting exclusively in the design of a bike, but it won't be the last," said Paul Teutul Sr "OSRAM LEDs opened up new avenues for us to explore reaching beyond the practical use and more towards lighting as a purely aesthetic part of the design."

The efficiency of LED lighting makes it the perfect choice for an electric-powered motorcycle. A recent study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) compared the power consumption of an electric vehicle equipped with all incandescent lighting to a vehicle equipped with all LED lights. The results indicate that the efficiency of LED lighting has the potential to extend the range of an electric vehicle by up to two percent of the total distance driven.

"That's a huge benefit for electric bike riders," said Hulick. "It's the difference between a day of riding and a day with the bike sitting at home on the charger."

The Siemens Smart Chopper was built for Siemens Corp., a global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering. It integrates an Advanced DC Motors Inc. Series Wound 8" electric motor and clutchless one-speed drive system with a long-sleek frame and radical custom bodywork made from new and recycled materials.

About OSRAM SYLVANIA
OSRAM SYLVANIA, together with OSRAM GmbH, is the world leader in automotive lighting for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and the aftermarket. The company's global automotive lighting division has its principal North American operations in Hillsboro, N.H., with nearly 700 employees. In addition to TS 16949, this facility has also achieved ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications. Automotive Lighting designs, develops, manufactures and markets state-of-the-art automotive light sources, including auxiliary, advanced halogen, LED and high-intensity discharge lighting for interior, exterior and forward lighting applications. Over 400 lamp types are produced for cars, trucks, and electronics in facilities throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Automotive applications for OEMs are marketed under the OSRAM brand while products for the aftermarket are sold under the SYLVANIA brand.

OSRAM Opto Semiconductors and OSRAM Automotive Lighting work together to offer a complete line of cutting-edge, award-winning, light emitting diode (LED) products and system solutions for the automotive industry from individual LED components to Joule Standardized Automotive LED Systems. OSRAM LED products enable the automotive industry to take advantage of the functionality, durability, energy-savings, and styling potential LEDs provide.

OSRAM SYLVANIA is a leader in lighting solutions and specialty products that feature innovative design and energy saving technology. The company sells products for homes, businesses and vehicles primarily under the SYLVANIA brand name, and also under the OSRAM brand. Headquartered in Danvers, Mass., OSRAM SYLVANIA is the North American operation of OSRAM GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens AG. For more information, visit www.sylvania.com.

About Orange County Choppers
Headquartered in Newburgh, NY Orange County Choppers is regarded as one of the world's premier builders of custom and production motorcycles. The OCC shop is featured on American Chopper, a reality television series that chronicles the lives of the OCC crew as they battle impossible deadlines to create outrageous custom chopper creations. The show, which has contributed to the company's quick rise to fame, debuted in September 2002 on the Discovery Channel and in 2007, Discovery Channel's sister station, TLC, took over the broadcasting and it now airs on Thursday nights at 9pm ET/PT. For more information, visit www.orangecountychoppers.com