First KIA Vehicles to Offer Amerigon Heated & Ventilated Seat System

NORTHVILLE, Mich., June 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amerigon Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARGN), a leader in developing and marketing products based on advanced thermoelectric (TE) technologies, today announced that its proprietary heated and ventilated seat system will be offered as an option for the front seats of the 2010 KIA Mohave and 2010 KIA Borrego mid-size Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV). The KIA Mohave and KIA Borrego are the first KIA vehicles to offer Amerigon's heated and ventilated seat system. The KIA Mohave is the vehicle nameplate sold overseas in the Middle East, Africa, South America and Korea, while the vehicle nameplate sold in the U.S. is the KIA Borrego. The vehicles are expected to be in showrooms this summer.

Both vehicles include a 3.8-litre V6 engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission and premium features and amenities, including Amerigon's heated and ventilated seat system. This seat system utilizes Amerigon's patented air distribution system and an innovative heating technology to provide year-round comfort for value-conscious customers.

Amerigon President and Chief Executive Officer Daniel R. Coker said that having the Company's heated and ventilated seat system offered for the first time on these vehicles manufactured by KIA is a significant accomplishment for the Company.

"The auto industry is moving toward more comfortable and feature rich interiors to sell vehicles in an increasingly competitive market and we believe our heated and ventilated seat system adds significant value," Coker said. "We are pleased to expand our partnership with KIA and hope to offer our seat systems in additional KIA vehicles in the future."

The KIA Opirus, which offers Amerigon's proprietary Climate Control Seat(R) (CCS(R)) system, was the first KIA vehicle to offer an Amerigon seat system.

Coker noted that the heated and ventilated seat system is a based upon the proprietary designs and features of the CCS system to provide seat occupants active cooling and heating for year-round comfort.

"The heated and ventilated seat is a product that allows us the opportunity to reach deeper into our automotive manufacturers' vehicle lines, including entry- and mid-level priced vehicles," Coker added. "The early feedback we are receiving on this new seat system has been very favorable."

About the Amerigon Heated and Ventilated Seat System

The Amerigon heated and ventilated seat system combines passive cooling or ventilation with active heating. For cooler environments or more economical vehicle lines, a ventilated seat may be a viable solution, bringing ambient cabin air to the surface instead of the "cooled" air produced by the thermoelectric. In the cooling mode, the heater is turned off and the fan provides ambient cabin air to the seat surface. Amerigon's heated and ventilated seat system fits within the same envelope as the active CCS system, so multiple Amerigon applications can be installed within or across various vehicle platforms.

About Amerigon

Amerigon (Nasdaq: ARGN) develops products based on its advanced, proprietary, efficient thermoelectric (TE) technologies for a wide range of global markets and heating and cooling applications. The Company's current principal product is its proprietary Climate Control Seat(R) (CCS(R)) system, a solid-state, TE-based system that permits drivers and passengers of vehicles to individually and actively control the heating and cooling of their respective seats to ensure maximum year-round comfort. CCS, which is the only system of its type on the market today, uses no CFCs or other environmentally sensitive coolants. Amerigon maintains sales and technical support centers in Southern California, Detroit, Japan, Germany, England and Korea.

Certain matters discussed in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may be different. Important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from its expectations in this release are risks that sales may not significantly increase, additional financing, if necessary, may not be available, new competitors may arise and adverse conditions in the automotive industry may negatively affect its results. The liquidity and trading price of its common stock may be negatively affected by these and other factors. Please also refer to Amerigon's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including, but not limited to, its Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2009, and its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008.

    Contact:    Allen & Caron Inc
                Jill Bertotti (investors)
                jill@allencaron.com
                Len Hall (media)
                len@allencaron.com
                (949) 474-4300

SOURCE  Amerigon Incorporated

    -0-                           06/01/2009
    /CONTACT:  investors, Jill Bertotti, jill@allencaron.com, or media, Len
Hall, len@allencaron.com, both of Allen & Caron Inc, +1-949-474-4300, for
Amerigon Incorporated/
    (ARGN)

CO:  Amerigon Incorporated; KIA
ST:  Michigan
IN:  AUT TRN REA HVA
SU:  LIC

PR
-- LA24789 --
7939 06/01/2009 06:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com