The move will also provide time for a set of cost reduction efforts on the M250-B, including several opportunities enabled by recently developed technologies. Pursuing these cost reductions at this stage should allow Protonex to launch and market the M250-B in 2010 with lower sale prices, stronger margins, and a higher probability of success.

Protonex will continue with planned original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and ‘beta’ site evaluations of the M250-B fuel cell unit in the coming months, but has decided not to make this product generally available to the consumer RV market in 2009, as previously planned.

In the coming months, Protonex will be supporting a set of beta test sites and several OEM evaluations of the M250-B. One of the beta partners is a large, multinational generator company that is planning to engage its internal personnel, as well as two of its leading external users, in M250-B product testing.

Planned OEM evaluations for the M250-B currently include a backup power company, a security systems company, and several auxiliary power system providers. Protonex will be incorporating findings from beta sites and OEM evaluations into its 2010 versions of the M250-B and related products.