3.4 kWh EIG Li-ion Pack for Plug-in Applications

13 June 2009

Rendering of the pack. Click to enlarge.

At the recent Advanced Automotive Battery Conference 2009 (AABC 2009), Korea-based EIG Ltd. described a prototype lithium-ion battery system targeted at a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) application. The system shows 58 kW discharge power output at 50% depth of discharge (DOD), with 3.4 kWh useable energy. (A 3.4 kWh capacity matches the USABC short-term goal for a 10-mile equivalent electric range PHEV.)

The PHEV pack is based on 14 Ah lithium-ion polymer cells, with carbon-coated LiFePO₄ as the cathode material. Carbon coating is a technique used to overcome the low conductivity of lithium iron phosphate by enhancing conduction on the particle scale. (Earlier post.) The cell design target was 120 Wh kg^-1 and power density of 2,500 W kg^-1. 96 cells were serially connected to obtain the 307V battery pack.

Inside the pack, two modules were serially connected though a manual switch and equipped with sensing devices, battery management system (BMS), and thermal management system.

In 2008, the South Korean government awarded EIG a development contract for a next generation PHEV lithium ion battery. The Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) announced in October that it is investing in a joint development consortium consisting of Hyundai Motors, LG Chem, SBLimotive (Samsung/Bosch), and EIG to develop a PHEV20 Li-ion battery pack focused on a PHEV vehicle for Hyundai. The MKE is also funding development of a PHEV10 pack by Hyundai Motor, LG Chem, SK Energy, and SBLimotive.

Earlier in June, EIG achieved ISO/TS16949 certification for its design, development and production processes—the first Korean large format Li-ion manufacturer to receive the certification. ISO/TS16949 is an automotive quality management system based on ISO 9001 and emphasizes defect prevention and reduction of variation and waste at all steps in the design and manufacturing process. This standard is the required QMS standard for the global automotive supplier base.

We look forward to duplicating and scaling the proven and certified EIG processes in our planned US based manufacturing plant. This certification is key for our focus on the transportation industry.

—Charlie Duncheon, President and CEO of EIG America, Inc.

EIG anticipates making a joint EV announcement with a European OEM in the near future.

Resources

• Burke, Andrew F. and Marshall Miller (2009) Performance Characteristics of Lithium-ion Batteries of Various Chemistries for Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, Research Report UCD-ITS-RR-09-08