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[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
ReVolt Technology and BASF in Joint Development Agreement for Zinc-Air Battery System
July 09, 2009
| Energy densities of different battery technologies. Source: ReVolt. Click to enlarge. |
ReVolt Technology Ltd, a technology company which has developed a rechargeable zinc-air battery (earlier post), and BASF have entered a joint-development agreement to speed the development and commercialization of ReVolt’s rechargeable zinc-air battery system. Revolt’s zinc-air technology offers up to three times the energy density on a volumetric basis and twice on a gravimetric basis of lithium-ion, according to the company.
Under the agreement, BASF will use its expertise in material science as well as electrochemistry to further advance the technology. BASF will supply key component materials and jointly developed subsystem elements necessary for the continued development and commercialization of ReVolt’s rechargeable zinc-air batteries.
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Daimler, Evonik Automotive Li-ion JV to Build Factory This Fall in Kamenz; Application in Mercedes Vehicles from 2012
July 06, 2009
Deutsche Accumotive GmbH & Co. KG, the automotive lithium-ion battery joint venture formed in 2008 by Daimler AG and Evonik Industries AG (earlier post), will begin construction of its production facility this autumn in Kamenz, Germany. Production is slated to begin in 2011, with the first application of Li-ion battery systems in Mercedes vehicles from 2012.
Initial capacity of the plant is planned to be up to 300,000 cells per year, all being targeted for Mercedes vehicles; in the future, the joint venture plans to sell batteries to third parties.
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ECOtality Establishes Joint Venture to Manufacture and Distribute Electric Vehicle Charging Systems in China
ECOtality, Inc. has signed a letter of intent to enter into a joint venture with Shenzhen Goch Investment, Ltd. that will provide US$15 million to establish manufacturing and distribution operations for electric vehicle (EV) charging systems in China.
To support the Company’s anticipated expansion, ECOtality received a combined US$2.5 million direct investment from Shenzhen Goch and existing ECOtality institutional shareholders.
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Bosch: Electrification is Coming, But Combustion Engines to Dominate for Another 20 Years
July 01, 2009
| In the long run, the large variety of drivetrain concepts will give way to electric drive. Source: Bosch. Click to enlarge. |
While full electric powertrains (battery and fuel cell) will at some point become pervasive in light-duty vehicles, the dominance of the internal-combustion engine will remain unchallenged over the next twenty years, according to Robert Bosch GmbH executives at their annual International Automotive Press Briefing in Boxberg, Germany. This is due in part to important technological challenges to powertrain electrification that must first be overcome and in part to ongoing efficiency improvements in combustion engine technology.
As a supplier, Bosch is active in both areas, said Dr. Bernd Bohr, chairman of the Bosch Automotive Group. Bosch is working hard to get the electric drive of the future readied for large-scale series production, while also doing its utmost to further improve the internal-combustion engine for decades to come, Bohr said. The company is investing €3 billion (US$ 4.25 billion) in R&D in the automotive technology sector in 2009.
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IBM Almaden Lab Exploring Lithium-Air Batteries for Next-Generation Energy Storage
June 24, 2009
| General schematic of a lithium-air battery. Adapted from Ogasawara et al. Click to enlarge. |
Leveraging expertise in materials science, nanotechnology, green chemistry and supercomputing, scientists at IBM Research’s Almaden lab in San Jose, California, are undertaking a multi-year research initiative around a grid-scale, efficient, affordable electrical energy storage network. The team plans to explore rechargeable Lithium-Air systems, which could offer 10 times the energy capacity of lithium-ion systems.
IBM intends to partner with industry leaders, academia and others in this collaborative endeavor. The company would license any intellectual property that may result from this research rather than manufacturing battery cells.
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First Three Conditional Loan Commitments Under DOE’s ATVM Program go to Ford Motor Company, Nissan Motors and Tesla Motors
June 23, 2009
The Obama Administration is awarding $8 billion in three conditional loan commitments for the development of innovative, advanced vehicle technologies: $5.9 billion for Ford Motor Company; $1.6 billion to Nissan North America, Inc.; and $465 million to Tesla Motors.
These are the first conditional loan commitments reached as part of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program. The Department plans to make additional loans under this program over the next several months to large and small auto manufacturers and parts suppliers up and down the production chain.
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DOE Announces Nearly $11 Million for Advanced Automotive Battery Research, Development, and Demonstration Projects
June 16, 2009
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected seven cost-shared research projects for the development of advanced batteries for electric drive vehicles. Topics include improved anode materials, improved mechanisms for safety and management, electrode manufacturing, and lithium-sulfur chemistry.
The total DOE investment for these projects is up to $10.96 million over three years, subject to annual appropriations. Private sector contributions will further increase the financial investment for a total of up to $19.36 million.
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Near-Term Prospects for Automotive Li-ion Batteries: 21% of Hybrid and EV Market by 2011
| In 2011, the largest dollar volume for Li-ion automotive applications could come from the mini EV and EREV segment. Representative battery pack size is below each segment. Data: Dr. Menahem Anderman. Click to enlarge. |
In the near-term (2011), lithium-ion batteries could grow to represent about 21% of the hybrid and EV advanced battery market, according to Dr. Menahem Anderman, President of Advanced Automotive Batteries and the organizer of last week’s Advanced Automotive Battery Conference 2009.
That projection, which excludes engineering prototypes, the China market, battery packs made from 18650 consumer cells, and micro-hybrid applications, represents about a $321-million market in 2011, compared to a projected $1,232-million automotive market for NiMH batteries ($1,553 million combined), Anderman said in a presentation at the conference.
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Ricardo Generic Battery Management System Designed to Provide Flexibility to OEMs
June 15, 2009
A battery management system is a key component of advanced automotive electric energy storage systems. Engineering firm Ricardo has developed a generic battery management system (BMS) for Li-ion batteries that is independent of cell size or chemistry. The effort is designed to help OEMs in response to the wide variety of cell-level Li-ion chemistries, with different cost, reliability, life, safety and availability factors. Overall, the BMS is designed to be universal—suitable for other energy storage systems such as NiMH or ultracapacitors as well as Li-ion batteries.
The availability of such a generic BMS could reduce the cost to OEMs of changing a cell supplier or even cell chemistry. It would provide flexibility for dual sourcing—e.g., if a current supplier could not meet production volumes—and would reduce risk by more cost-effectively supporting future changes. Dr. Peter Miller, Director of Ricardo’s Electrical/Electronic Engineering efforts, provided an overview of the project at the recent Advanced Automotive Battery Conference 2009 (AABC 2009) in Long Beach.
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3.4 kWh EIG Li-ion Pack for Plug-in Applications
June 13, 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.
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SK Energy Has Two HEV, Four PHEV Li-ion Cells, Packs Ready for Production
June 12, 2009
South Korea-based SK Energy has now developed six lithium-ion cells: two targeted at hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) applications and four targeted at plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) applications. Jeon Oh, SK Energy’s Leader, Corporate R&D Center/HEV Battery Project, provided an update on the company’s Li-ion automotive battery activities at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference 2009 this week in Long Beach.
SK Energy is Asia’s fourth largest energy provider, and was Korea’s first oil refining company, now with a domestic market share of 38%. The company was the first Korean company, and the third in the world, to independently develop a lithium-ion battery separator, which features proprietary technology for low shrinkage and heat resistance.
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International Battery Introduces Standardized Modules for Large-Format Lithium-Ion Batteries
June 10, 2009
International Battery, a US-based manufacturer, designer, and developer of large-format lithium-ion rechargeable cells, modules and packs, introduced three classes of standardized modules for its large-format lithium batteries—Nested, Slim and Wide—to accommodate various customer-specific geometries. Each module can supply up to 4 kWh of storage.
These new modules, introduced at the Advanced Automotive Battery Conference 2009 (AABC), incorporate eight large format International Battery cells connected in series. Each cell has a unique recognizable Battery Management System (BMS) board.
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New Metal-Oxide Enhanced Iron Phosphate Material Offers Higher Energy Density
June 09, 2009
| Capacity of one of the LFP-NCO formulations. Source: Aleees. Click to enlarge. |
Taiwan-based Advanced Lithium Electrochemistry (Aleees = Always Leading & Everlasting Energy for the Earth & uS) has developed a new iron phosphate (LFP) material for use in a lithium-ion battery cathode. The patent-pending LFP-NCO (Nano-Co-crystalline Olivine) LiFePO4·zMO' (M'O = metal oxide) material is designed to address the low conductivity problem of traditional iron phosphate materials, reduce impurities in LiFePO4, maintain the material consistency and offer an attractive price-performance ratio.
Dr. Pin-Jiun Wu, of Aleees and Taiwan’s National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, presented the material during the Advanced Automotive Battery 2009 (AABC 2009) symposia and conference this week in Long Beach, California.
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Yardney and Coda Automotive Form JV for US Automotive Li-ion Systems Production; Lishen Expected to Participate
June 08, 2009
| 34 kWh battery pack for Coda sedan. Click to enlarge. |
Connecticut-based Yardney Technical Products, Inc. and California-based Coda Automotive have entered into a joint venture (Coda Battery Systems LLC) to design, manufacture and sell automotive-grade, lithium-ion battery systems in the United States. Coda Battery Systems LLC submitted a proposal under the stimulus grant program to the Department of Energy on 19 May for funding to build manufacturing at a facility in Enfield, CT.
Yardney is a developer of advanced battery systems, targeting US military and other government agencies. Coda Automotive is currently safety and durability testing its Hafei-built all-electric highway sedan for the mass market.
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GM Opens New Global Battery Systems Lab
General Motors further expanded its battery research and development capabilities by opening what it called the largest and most technologically advanced battery lab in the US on its Technical Center campus in Warren, MI.
The new Global Battery Systems Lab will lead GM’s global advanced battery engineering resources and expedite the introduction of electrically driven vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt, as well as plug-in hybrid and hybrid-electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles.
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BASF to Commercialize Argonne Li-ion Composite Cathode Material; Seeks Funds for Plant in Ohio
June 05, 2009
| Argonne’s patented composite cathode materials (xLi2MnO3·(1-x)LiMO2) offer a good blend of safety, capacity and cost, according to BASF. Source: Argonne. Click to enlarge. |
The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and BASF have signed a world-wide licensing agreement to mass produce and market Argonne’s patented composite cathode materials to manufacturers of advanced lithium-ion batteries. BASF will conduct further lithium-ion battery material application development in its current Beachwood, Ohio facility.
Contingent upon winning a DOE grant under Recovery Act - Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative (DE-FOA-0000026), BASF plans to build one of North America’s largest cathode material production facilities in Elyria, Ohio.
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Coda Automotive to Bring China-Built Electric Mid-size Sedan to California Market in 2010; New JV with Lishen for Automotive Li-ion Systems
June 03, 2009
| Components in the Coda. Click to enlarge. |
Coda Automotive, a new company formed and developed under the stewardship of entrepreneur Miles Rubin (known for his marketing and sales of low-speed, electric fleet vehicles under the Miles Electric Vehicles brand), will introduce an affordable, full-performance all-electric sedan built by Hafei in China to the California market in 2010.
Additionally, the company, which has an existing long-term sourcing contract with Tianjin Lishen Battery Joint-Stock Co., Ltd., (Lishen) for lithium-ion batteries used in the Coda, announced the establishment of a global joint venture with Lishen to design, manufacture and sell transportation and utility power storage battery systems. Coda will own 40% of the JV, with Lishen holding 60%.
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Boston-Power Pursuing $100M in Federal Funds for Li-Ion Plant in Massachusetts; Introduces High-Energy “Swing” for EVs and PHEVs
June 01, 2009
Boston-Power, Inc., maker of the long-lasting, fast-charging Sonata Li-ion battery for laptops, is planning to build a 455,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Auburn, Massachusetts that would complement its existing China-based operations. The company is also applying its battery technology in the new high-energy Swing Li-ion cell for battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
With support from Massachusetts officials, Boston-Power is seeking approximately $100 million under the US Department of Energy’s advanced battery and cell manufacturing grant program established as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The company is also pursuing funds through a proposed program allocation in the FY10 federal budget under the Defense Production Act, which encourages the building of manufacturing facilities in the United States that are important for national security reasons.
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Vehicle Electrification a Key Strategic Initiative for Magna; Steady Increases in Capabilities and Technology Portfolio Over Past Few Years
May 30, 2009
Canada-based international auto supplier and contract assembler Magna International, now with a Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of Opel from General Motors (earlier post), sees vehicle electrification as one of its key strategic initiatives. Accordingly, it has been steadily increasing its capabilities with hybrid and electric vehicle technologies over the past several years.
At Magna’s Annual General Meeting, held earlier this month, Magna Co-Chief Executive Officer Siegfried Wolf noted that Magna has the capability to develop and produce many of the key components that are new and unique to electric vehicles. A key competitive advantage for the company, he said, is its “ability to integrate these new technologies into the complete vehicle and to develop complete vehicle concepts for pure electric mobility.”
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GM and University of Michigan Developing Method for Direct In-Situ Measurement of Li+ Transport Rates in a Li-ion Cell; Insights into Cell Degradation
May 27, 2009
| The measurement method is based on the differences in color of electrode material after intercalation of different amounts of lithium. Shown is an example of graphite from Maire (2008). Click to enlarge. |
Researchers from General Motors R&D Center and the University of Michigan are developing a method for the direct in situ measurement of lithium ion (Li+) transport rates in a functioning Li-ion cell. Steve Harris from GM, the lead researcher on the project, presented a paper on the method at the 215th biannual meeting of the Electrochemical Society (ECS 215) this week in San Francisco (and is continuing on to present the work at institutions such as Caltech).
Harris’s goal for the project is to try to understand degradation mechanisms of lithium-ion cells. Degradation of cell capacity over time and in extreme temperatures or duty cycles is a problem for any battery application, but for electric drive vehicle applications the problem is particularly acute, given requirements for long calendar life and a stable contribution to vehicle power and energy.
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Celgard Seeks DOE Grant for Expansion of Electric Drive Vehicle Battery Separator Capacity
May 26, 2009
Celgard, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polypore International, Inc. and a leading global supplier of microporous separators used in primary and secondary (rechargeable) lithium-ion batteries, recently submitted an application for grant funding under the US Department of Energy (DOE) Electric Drive Vehicle (EDV) Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative (DE-FOA-0000026).
Celgard is seeking federal funds through this grant initiative to increase its lithium-ion battery separator production capacity in the United States. The proposed capacity expansion would be implemented at Celgard’s existing Charlotte, North Carolina, facility and at an additional manufacturing facility that would be built at a second US location in the Southeast.
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Broad-Based Challenges in Battery Implementation
In an invited paper presented at the 215th biannual meeting of the Electrochemical Society (ECS 215) being held in San Francisco this week, Professor Esther Takeuchi of the University of Buffalo provided a broad overview of the challenges “in implementing the science we develop” in commercially viable battery solutions, using a current project working with a silver vanadium phosphorous oxide (Ag2VO2PO4) cathode material for an implantable cardiac device (ICD) as an example.
Dr. Takeuchi is the Greatbatch Professor of Advanced Power Sources at the University of Buffalo, and has the distinction of being the most prolific woman inventor in the US, holding 143 patents at last count. Prior to joining the university, she spent 23 years at Greatbatch, Inc., with her final position there being Chief Scientist, Center of Excellence.
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ANL Project on Actively Coupled Ultracapacitor-Battery System for PHEVs Attracting OEM Interest
May 20, 2009
| The actively coupled ultracapacitor-battery system has four primary components. Source: ANL. Click to enlarge. |
Work on a research project developing an actively coupled ultracapacitor-battery system targeted at plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) applications is attracting interest from a variety of OEMs both at a component and a system level, according to Argonne’s Ted Bohn, in his presentation at the Department of Energy Merit Review this week. The project is led by Argonne; Maxwell Technologies Inc. and Gold Peak Battery-USA are research partners in the project.
The objective of the project is to develop a high power and high energy electrical storage system that combines the strengths of each technology—high power density for ultracapacitors and high energy storage for Li-ion batteries—at equal or better system efficiency and net cost/density compared to current conventional Li-ion batteries.
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A123Systems’ Prismatic Cell Lineup: Up to 5,300 W/kg in High Power Cell, 20 Ah Cell for PHEVs
May 19, 2009
| A123Systems scalable prismatic module is reconfigurable for applications ranging from 1 kWh to more than 100 kWh. Source: A123Systems. Click to enlarge. |
At the Department of Energy (DOE) Annual Merit Review for the Hydrogen and Vehicle Technologies Programs, A123Systems co-founder Ric Fulop described the progress the company has made with two DOE-funded projects, one on high-power hybrid batteries, the other on plug-in hybrid battery development.
A123Systems, which began by manufacturing cylindrical format cells, is developing a portfolio of prismatic automotive cells funded through two USABC 50:50 cost share programs. The emerging prismatic lineup includes a 20Ah energy cell for plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles, with a targeted start of production (SOP) of 2009/2010; and 4Ah, 6Ah and 8Ah power cells for hybrids, with vehicle SOP of 2011/2012.
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Hitachi Develops Fourth-Generation, High Power Automotive Lithium-Ion Battery with 4,500 W/kg; Sampling to Start in the Fall
| The fourth-generation power cell. Click to enlarge. |
Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd., which develops and manufactures lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications, have developed a lithium-ion battery having a power density of 4,500 W/kg—1.7 times the output of the company’s current generation of mass-produced, automotive lithium-ion batteries. (Earlier post.)
Sampling of the new battery by domestic and overseas car manufacturers will start in the fall.
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Daimler Takes 10% Stake in Tesla; Strategic Partnership to Collaborate on Future Models
Daimler AG has acquired an equity stake of nearly 10% in Tesla Motors Inc. The two companies have already been working closely to integrate Tesla’s lithium-ion battery packs and charging electronics into the first 1,000 units of Daimler’s electric smart car. (Earlier post.)
This investment deepens the relationship between the two, and enables the partners to collaborate even more closely on the development of battery systems, electric drive systems and in individual vehicle projects. Executives from both companies announced the arrangement this morning in a webcast press conference.
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UK Researchers Developing Rechargeable Lithium-Air Battery; Up to 10X the Capacity of Current Li-ion Cells
May 18, 2009
| Diagram of the STAIR (St Andrews Air) cell. Oxygen drawn from the air reacts within the porous carbon to release the electrical charge in this lithium-air battery. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers in the UK are developing a rechargeable lithium-air battery that could deliver a ten-fold increase in energy capacity compared to that of currently available lithium-ion cells. The research work, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), is being led by researchers at the University of St Andrews with partners at Strathclyde and Newcastle.
Initial results from the project delivered a capacity of 1,000 mAh g-1, while recent work has obtained results of up to 4,000 mAh g-1.
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Altair Nanotechnologies Partners with Amperex Technology to Accelerate Commercialization of Next-Generation Lithium-Titanate Batteries
Li-ion battery manufacturer Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (Altairnano) has entered a joint development agreement (JDA) with Amperex Technology Ltd. (ATL) to accelerate the commercialization of next-generation high-performance lithium-titanate battery cells. China-based ATL currently produces Lithium-ion polymer batteries under a license agreement with Valence Technology.
Under terms of the agreement, Altairnano and ATL will provide respective technical resources to focus on the engineering, design and testing of the next generation of rechargeable cells.
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Researchers Develop Electrode Materials for High-Capacity Li-S Battery Cells
| The galvanostatic discharge and charge profiles of the first cycle of CMK-3 + sulfur; CMK-3/S-145; and CMK-3/S-155. Source: Ji et al. (2009) Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada have developed electrode materials for Lithium-Sulfur batteries using a conductive mesoporous carbon framework that have demonstrated reversible capacities of up to 1,320 mAh g-1. A paper on their work appears online in the journal Nature Materials.
The Li-S battery is of interest due a high theoretical specific energy density (~2,600 Wh/kg) that exceeds that of conventional lithium-ion batteries by about a factor of five, good low-temperature performance, and its use of inexpensive and nontoxic raw materials. Last week, for example, BASF and Sion Power Corporation signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to accelerate the commercialization of Sion Power’s proprietary lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery technology for the electric vehicle (EV) market and other high-energy applications. (Earlier post.)
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BATT Awards $731,000 Contract for Development of Novel Electrolyte for Li-ion Batteries Based on New Salt
May 16, 2009
The Batteries for Advanced Transportation Technologies (BATT) program recently awarded a $731,000 contract to University of Rhode Island chemistry professor Brett Lucht, co-director of the URI Energy Center, for the development of new electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries (LIB). BATT is supported by US Department of Energy’s Office of Vehicle Technologies.
One of the components of the project, said Dr. Lucht, is a novel salt he and his colleagues presented at the 214th meeting of the Electrochemical Society in October 2008: Lithium Tetrafluorooxalatophosphate (LiPF4C2O4, LiF4OP).
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BASF and Sion Power to Collaborate on Lithium Sulfur Battery Technology; Targeting EV Market
May 15, 2009
| Configuration of a Li-S cell. Click to enlarge. |
Sion Power Corporation and BASF SE have signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) to accelerate the commercialization of Sion Power’s proprietary lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery technology for the electric vehicle (EV) market and other high-energy applications.
The Sion Power / BASF collaboration targets the development of battery materials to improve Li-S battery life and to increase the energy density and thus extend driving range of future EVs beyond what is currently available with alternative rechargeable battery technologies. Li-S technology already offers significant energy density and weight advantages over those existing technologies.
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Better Place Demonstrates Battery Switch Technology
May 13, 2009
| Demo vehicle moving into position for battery switch. Click image to see demonstration video. |
Better Place officially opened the Yokohama, Japan EV exhibit with the public debut of its automated battery switch system, designed to make long distance travel by EV convenient for customers.
Better Place selected the Nissan Dualis to demonstrate the battery switch technology. This crossover utility vehicle is not necessarily indicative as to any potential EV lineup by Nissan. The technology demonstration used specially-built 400V battery packs with standard lithium-ion cells from A123Systems. The cells were inserted into an enclosure built to fit this specific Nissan Dualis vehicle application.
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GE to Open Sodium-Metal Halide Battery Plant in New York
May 12, 2009
| GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt shows a sodium-metal halide battery cell at the press conference announcing the battery plant. Click to enlarge. |
GE will open a new battery manufacturing plant in Upstate New York that will serve as the main manufacturing facility for GE’s newly launched battery business. The battery business will be a part of GE Transportation and will serve customers in the rail, marine, mining, telecommunications and utility sectors.
GE says the planned facility will produce approximately 10 million sodium-metal halide cells each year—equivalent to 900 MWh of energy storage, or enough to support 1,000 GE hybrid locomotives. The first application will be GE’s hybrid locomotive, which will be commercialized in 2010. (Earlier post.)
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Saft and ESMA to Cooperate on Supercapacitor Development, Production and Commercialization; Heavy Diesels First Target
May 11, 2009
Saft has signed an agreement with ESMA, a Russian company, to cooperate in the development, production and commercialization of supercapacitors based on ESMA’s technology.
The agreement enables Saft to add the new supercapacitor technology to its portfolio of leading edge battery technologies. The first results will be seen later in 2009, when Saft’s US manufacturing facility in Valdosta, GA begins production of a new generation of asymmetric nickel supercapacitors that will work in combination with batteries on heavy vehicles in a large variety of markets including, but not limited to, industry or public transportation.
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EnerDel Signs Letter of Intent to Supply Lithium-Ion Batteries to Fisker Automotive; Inaugurates New Manufacturing Line
May 08, 2009
| Enerdel produces both high energy systems for EVs and PHEVs (left) using a hard carbon/mixed oxide chemistry and high power systems for hybrids (right) using a LTO/LMO chemistry. Source: EnerDel. Click to enlarge. |
EnerDel and Fisker, the independent American carmaker developing a line of plug-in vehicles for the global market, have signed a letter of intent for a potential long-term battery supply agreement. Results of reliability and performance testing will determine a final contract. The Fisker Karma is scheduled to be the first OEM plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) on the US market in June 2010.
Fisker currently plans to build 15,000 vehicles per year and market them through an existing network of 32 US retailers. A European retail network will be announced in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany.
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European Automotive Industry Outlines R&D Priorities for EU Green Car Initiative
May 07, 2009
European automotive suppliers and vehicle manufacturers have united to submit a series of R&D priorities to the European Commission to shape the European Green Car Initiative (EGCI), announced by the EU. CLEPA (the European umbrella membership organization representing the interests of the global automotive supply industry) and EUCAR (the European Council for Automotive R&D from the major European passenger car and commercial vehicle manufacturers) jointly prepared the document.
The Green Car Initiative, a part of the European economic recovery plan, aims to allocate €5 billion (US$6.7 billion) through a Public Private Partnership to bolster innovation in the automotive sector and sustain its focus on environmental progress. The initiative complements the European Clean Transport Facility which, through the European Investment Bank, serves to provide more immediate financial relief to the sector.
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GM And University of Michigan Form GM/U-M Institute Of Automotive Research And Education; Focus On Fuel-Efficiency And Reinvention Of The Automobile
General Motors and the University of Michigan have formed the GM/U-M Institute of Automotive Research and Education, with a strategic focus on reinventing the automobile and developing the next generation of high-efficiency vehicles powered by diverse energy sources.
The Institute, which builds on more than 50 years of collaboration between the organizations, supplements GM’s ongoing research and development in key areas: advanced batteries, engine systems, smart materials and vehicle manufacturing.
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Israeli Microturbine-Based Range-Extended Electric Vehicle Startup Lands $12M Series A Round
April 25, 2009
| Drawing of the proposed advanced microturbine. Source: ETVM Click to enlarge. |
ETV Motors Ltd. (ETVM), an Israeli start-up developing a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV) technology combining a novel dual-power micro-turbine and a new high-voltage lithium-ion battery chemistry, has closed a US$12-million Series A investment round. The round was led by The Quercus Trust of Newport Beach, California. New York-based 21Ventures LLC co-invested.
The investment enables ETVM to move ahead with a multi-year research and development program in which it is partnering with universities and development organizations.
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University of Glamorgan and Atraverda to Partner on Bi-Polar Lead-Acid Batteries; Potential Application in Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
The University of Glamorgan (Wales) and Atraverda, an advanced material company that owns the intellectual property rights to a conductive ceramic known as Ebonex, are collaborating to produce a commercially viable bi-polar lead-acid battery. They made the announcement at the opening of the UK’s first Advanced Bi-polar Battery Development research facility.
The partners say their work could lead to lead-acid batteries that are up to 40% lighter, 20% smaller, have 40% more energy capacity and twice the lifespan of traditional lead acid batteries. The batteries also use up to 50% less lead and produce 80% less CO2 during the manufacturing process. Bi-polar batteries are 100% recyclable and will be significantly cheaper than other battery types under development such as lithium technologies.
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Maxwell Technologies Lands $13.5M Order for Ultracapacitor Modules for Hybrid Buses in China
April 24, 2009
| Maxwell BMOD0165 P048 module. Click to enlarge. |
Maxwell Technologies Inc. has received purchase orders with a total value of approximately US$13.5 million from three of China’s leading transit bus producers for BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor modules to support braking energy recuperation and torque assist functions in diesel-electric hybrid transit buses.
David Schramm, Maxwell’s president and chief executive officer, said that deliveries of the company’s 48-volt BMOD0165 P048 modules, which are assembled by one of its contract manufacturers in China, already have begun and will continue through the balance of the year.
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SDK Develops New Grade of Graphite for Lithium-Ion Batteries in Electric Vehicles
April 22, 2009
| Rapid discharge characteristic of lithium-ion batteries using SCMG. Source: SDK. Click to enlarge. |
Showa Denko K.K. (SDK) has developed a new grade of SCMG (shape-controlled micro graphite) to be used as anode material in large lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs).
Since the material has been adopted for use in several models of EVs to be sold in Japan and overseas, SDK has decided to increase its SCMG production capacity at Omachi, Nagano Prefecture, from 1,000 tons a year at present to 3,000 tons a year in 2012. SDK is planning to generate ¥8 billion (US$82 million) in sales of carbon materials for lithium-ion batteries, including this product, in 2012.
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Li-ion Polymer Battery Maker Kokam America Is Partner of Choice for Smith Electric Vehicles US; Kokam JV With Dow Targeted at Scaling Up Production
April 17, 2009
When Smith Electric Vehicles US Corp (SEV-US) announced on 27 March its selection of Kansas City, Missouri as the site for its US assembly plant for electric commercial vehicles (earlier post), SEV-US CEO Bryan Hansel named Kokam America (also based in Missouri) as the electric vehicle company’s battery “partner of choice.” SEV-US is working on an official statement that will soon be released detailing more of the scope of the relationship, according to an SEV-US spokeswoman. The partnership with Kokam does not currently extend to Smith Electric Vehicles based in the UK.
Kokam America also made news earlier this week when its newly unveiled joint venture with Dow Chemical and Townsend Ventures LLC—KD Advanced Battery Group LLC (KD)—announced plans to invest $665 million in a new 800,000 square foot battery manufacturing facility in Michigan, and also was awarded $144.6 million in tax credits towards that plant from the state. (Earlier post.)
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Michigan Awards $543.5M in Tax Credits to Four Battery Makers, Who Announce Plans for $1.7B Investment in Li-ion Battery Plants in Michigan
April 14, 2009
The Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) Board awarded $543.5 million in tax credits to four battery companies announcing plans to invest more than $1.7 billion in Li-ion manufacturing facilities in the state. The four companies receiving the tax credits and announcing plant plans are Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions LLC; KD Advanced Battery Group LLC; A123Systems Inc.; and LG Chem-Compact Power Inc.
The state refundable tax credits will help the companies in their quest for some of the $2 billion in federal grants for advanced-battery research and development. Facility locations will be determined pending final site selection decisions by the companies.
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National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Batteries Opts for Kentucky Site for Li-ion Plant
The National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Batteries (NAATBatt) (earlier post) has selected a site in Hardin County, Kentucky to build a more than $600-million automotive lithium-ion battery plant. Kentucky was selected over Texas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
NAATBatt is a not-for-profit industry consortium of more than 50 corporations, associations and research institutions dedicated to making the United States a world leader in the manufacture of advanced lithium-ion or Li-Ion battery cells for transportation applications.
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Axion Power Enters Worldwide Supply Agreement with Exide Technologies for PbC Batteries
April 13, 2009
| An Axion Power PbC battery. Click to enlarge. |
Axion Power International Inc. has signed a definitive Memorandum of Understanding for a multi-year, global supply relationship with Alpharetta, GA-based Exide Technologies for the purchase of Axion PbC batteries—multi-celled asymmetrically supercapacitive lead-acid-carbon hybrid batteries (earlier post)—and other Axion technologies.
The agreement, which will make Exide Axion’s principal battery original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customer, envisions applications for Axion technologies to include batteries for automobiles and light trucks (OEM and aftermarket); hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs): plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs); electric vehicles (EVs); fuel-cell vehicles; marine, military, and heavy-duty transport applications; off-road machines; power-sport vehicles; and lawn and agricultural vehicles.
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A123Systems Raises $69 Million in New Round of Private Financing; GE Increases Ownership to More than 10%, Director of GE Global Research to Join Board
A123Systems has raised $69 million from GE and other investors to accelerate the expansion of its US lithium-ion battery manufacturing and smart grid capabilities. The capital will help support the expansion of A123’s facilities in Hopkinton, MA, and Novi, MI, as well as build planned new factories in Michigan. The funding will also support A123’s efforts to develop applications for the smart grid, such as utility-scale energy storage.
GE Energy Financial Services and GE Capital’s Equity unit provided $15 million of the amount raised by A123 in this financing. This is GE’s seventh investment in A123, making it the company’s largest cash investor and bringing GE’s cumulative investment to $70 million, increasing its ownership stake to more than 10%.
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Phosphorous-enriched Carbons Increase Performance and Energy Density of Supercapacitors
April 11, 2009
| Energy density of the P-carbon supercapacitors compared to commercial carbon (Norit). Credit: ACS. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers from Australia, Ukraine and Spain have found that phosphorus-rich microporous carbons (P-carbons) used in supercapacitors exhibit enhanced supercapacitive performance, are capable of stable operation at voltages larger than 1.3 V in H2SO4 and can support an energy density of up to 16 Wh/kg compared to around 5 Wh/kg for conventional commercial carbon. A paper on their work is published in the 15 April issue of the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Although supercapacitors, which store energy in an electric field rather than obtaining it from a chemical reaction, can provide quick, massive bursts of energy—ideal for acceleration with an electric drive—their energy density is much lower than that of batteries. Much work is underway to either increase the energy density of supercapacitors (e.g., earlier post), enhance the discharge rate of batteries to approach that of supercapacitors (e.g., earlier post), or to combine supercapacitors and batteries in a single energy storage system, cost-effectively leveraging the best aspects of each (e.g., earlier post).
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Kentucky-Argonne Partnership to Help Build US Advanced Battery Industry
April 08, 2009
The Commonwealth of Kentucky, the University of Kentucky (UK) and University of Louisville (U of L) are partnering with the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory to establish a national Battery Manufacturing R&D Center to help develop and deploy a domestic supply of advanced battery technologies for vehicle applications.
The Center’s major goals would be to support the development of a viable US battery manufacturing industry; make it easier for federal labs, universities, manufacturers, suppliers, and end-users to collaborate; develop advanced manufacturing technology to reduce advanced battery production costs; and accelerate the commercialization of technologies developed at national laboratories and universities.
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Argonne and Hanyang University Develop New High-Energy Cathode Material With Improved Thermal Stability; Good Fit for PHEV Applications
April 07, 2009
| SEM of Li[Ni0.64Co0.18Mn0.18]O2 particle with concentration gradient of Ni, Co, and Mn contents. From Sun et al. (2009). Click to enlarge. |
A new high-energy cathode material that can greatly increase the safety and extend the life-span of future lithium-ion batteries has been developed through the close international collaboration of researchers led by the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and Hanyang University in South Korea. The results, say the researchers, suggest that the cathode material could enable production of batteries that meet the demanding performance and safety requirements of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
Although layered lithium nickel-rich oxides (Li[Ni1-xMx]O2 (M=metal)) have attracted significant interest as promising cathode materials for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries owing to their high capacity, excellent rate capability and low cost, their low thermal-abuse tolerance and poor cycle life, especially at elevated temperature, have prohibited their use in practical batteries.
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Michigan Adds Another $220M in Tax Incentives for Advanced Battery Companies
Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm signed legislation that increases tax incentives for companies that develop and manufacture advanced batteries. The new law adds an additional $220 million in refundable tax credits for companies involved in the development and application of advanced-battery research, engineering, and manufacturing.
This expands the $335 million in tax credits that Governor Granholm signed in January, which were the first in the nation, bringing total incentives available to $555 million. The legislation signed also:
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Chrysler LLC Forms Strategic Alliance with A123Systems for First Generation of ENVI Electric Vehicle Lineup
April 06, 2009
| A123Systems 20Ah prismatic cell. Click to enlarge. |
Chrysler LLC and A123Systems have signed an agreement stating that A123Systems will supply Nanophosphate lithium-ion prismatic cells, and jointly developed battery modules and packs, for Chrysler’s first-generation ENVI Range-extended Electric Vehicles and battery-only Electric Vehicles.
A123Systems has applied for $1.84 billion in direct loans from the US Department of Energy’s ATVMIP program to support the construction of new lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities in the United States, with the first construction location in southeast Michigan. There, the company will manufacture the cells, modules and battery packs for Chrysler LLC. (Earlier post.)
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MIT Team Uses Genetically Engineered Viruses to Build Cathode Material for Li-ion Battery
April 03, 2009
| Specific capacity of one of the a-FePO4 viral nanowires in two-gene systems tested between 2.0 and 4.3V. (EC#2 had the strongest binding affinity to SWNTs). Active materials loading was 2.62 mg/cm2. Lee et al. (2009) Click to enlarge. |
MIT researchers have developed a strategy for using genetically engineered multifunctional viruses as scaffolds for the synthesis and assembly of cathode materials for high-power lithium-ion batteries. By manipulating two genes of the M13 virus (a bacteriophage), the viruses were equipped with peptide groups with affinity for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on one end and peptides capable of nucleating amorphous iron phosphate (a-FePO4) fused to the viral major coat protein to create a iron phosphate cathode material.
The power performance of viral a-FePO4 nanowires was comparable to that of conventional crystalline lithium iron phosphate (c-LiFePO4), and the team reported excellent capacity retention upon cycling at 1C for at least 50 cycles. The synthesis takes place at and below room temperature, requires no harmful organic solvents, and the materials that go into the battery are non-toxic. A paper on the work was published online in the journal Science on 2 April.
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New Spectroscopy Technique Clarifies Structural Changes of Silicon Anodes in Li-ion Battery
March 27, 2009
| Stacked plots of in situ 7Li static NMR spectra and electrochemical profile of the first discharge (C) of an actual crystalline Si vs Li/Li+ battery. Credit: ACS. Click to enlarge. |
Using a new spectroscopy technique, researchers at SUNY at Stony Brook (New York) and Université de Picardie Jules Verne (Amiens, France) have clarified some of the structural changes undergone by silicon anodes in lithium-ion batteries. The researchers also identified a previously unknown self-discharge mechanism that can be countered. A paper on their work was published online 19 March in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Silicon is conceptually a much more attractive anode material for lithium-ion batteries than the currently predominant carbon electrodes because of its very high gravimetric energy density (3,572 mAh g-1 vs 372 mAh g-1 for carbon) and “massive” volumetric capacity (8,322 mAh cm-3)—approximately 10 times that of graphite. Lithium-ion batteries with silicon anodes could offer much greater capacities than current generation lithium-ion batteries, making them especially attractive in applications such as plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles.
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New German High-Energy Li-ion Battery Consortium Headed by BASF; €21M Investment from German Government
| Embedded metal oxide compounds for Li-ion cathode material. Source: BASF. Click to enlarge. |
Under the leadership of BASF Future Business GmbH, eighteen partners from industry and science have formed the cross-sector consortium “HE-Lion” to develop and bring to market safer, more affordable high-energy lithium-ion batteries over the next four to six years for use in plug-in hybrid automobiles and electric-vehicles.
The German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding the HE-Lion project with €21 million (US$28.5 million) as part of the “Lithium Ion Battery LIB 2015” alliance for innovation. (Earlier post.) The partners in the consortium will contribute the same amount.
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Profile: Li-ion Battery and Pack Supplier Valence Technology
March 25, 2009
by Bill Cooke
| The olivine structure of one of Valence’s lithium iron magnesium phosphate materials. The view is looking along an axis of the crystal structure. The polyhedra aid the eye in seeing the ions grouped as (green) Fe/Mg-enclosing octahedra and (yellow) phosphate tetrahedra. The (blue) oxygen ions are made very small to permit viewing of the arrangement of the other ions. Click to enlarge. |
Green Car Congress had the opportunity recently to have a discussion with Mark Donaghy, the Global Marketing Manager for Valence Technology, Inc., a provider of lithium-ion batteries, modules and packs. Founded in 1989, and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Valence has facilities in Nevada, China and Northern Ireland.
Valence differentiates its lithium-ion products through its cathode (positive terminal in discharge) material, a lithium iron magnesium phosphate (LiFe1-xMgxPO4). Iron phosphate is well regarded for its safety characteristics; A123Systems is another significant supplier of cells derived from this chemistry.
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Nano-Terra, Inc. and Exide Technologies Announce Collaboration on Energy Storage Solutions
Nano-Terra, Inc., a surface engineering and nanotechnology co-development company and Exide Technologies, one of the world’s largest producers and recyclers of lead-acid batteries, have formed an alliance to develop innovative energy storage solutions.
Nano-Terra will use its expertise in surface chemistry and surface engineering to create a number of innovative functionalities for stored energy solutions manufactured by Exide for motive power, network power and transportation applications. Further, the alliance is expected to provide Exide Technologies the opportunity to improve both the efficiency and competitiveness of its product portfolio.
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3M Forms Strategic Relationship with Amperex Technologies for NMC Li-Ion Cathode Materials
March 23, 2009
| SEM images of particle morphology of 3M NMC cathode materials. Source: 3M. Click to enlarge. |
3M has entered into a strategic relationship and an agreement with China-based Amperex Technologies Ltd. (ATL) that will expand the use of nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries targeted at consumer electronics and automotive applications.
3M will become a strategic supplier of NMC cathode materials to ATL and will work jointly with ATL to develop new cathode, anode and electrolyte materials for the lithium-ion battery industry. Under the agreement, 3M granted ATL a license to 3M intellectual property for the use of 3M NMC cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries.
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GM Provides Glimpse of Battery Strategy and Approach for the Future with Briefing on Gen 1 Volt Pack; Work on Gen 2 and Gen 3 Packs Already Underway, With a Focus on Cost
March 21, 2009
by Mike Millikin and Jack Rosebro
| The Gen 1 Volt 16 kWh pack, comprising more than 200 cells grouped into modules. GM is defining a “reuse” strategy for cells, packs and modules within its future vehicle line-up. Click to enlarge. |
Three key General Motors executives involved with the Chevrolet Volt this week held a media briefing on the state of GM’s battery pack strategy for the Chevrolet Volt and its current Gen 1 pack as well as subsequent generations (Gen 2 and Gen 3) of battery packs destined for the underlying Voltec platform. They also delivered an update on the progress of the Volt’s development cycle.
Executive Director of Global Engineering–Hybrids, Electric Vehicles, and Batteries Robert Kruse, Volt Vehicle Chief Engineer Andrew Farah, and Director of Global Battery Systems Engineering Denise Gray took turns describing work completed so far as well as next steps for the project.
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DOE to Award Up to $2.4B for Advanced Batteries, Electric Drive Components, and Electric Drive Vehicle Demonstration/Deployment Projects
March 19, 2009
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released two competitive solicitations that will provide up to a combined $2.4 billion in federal funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) in support of the development of advanced electric drive vehicles (EDVs) including plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV), electric vehicles (EV), and fuel cell vehicles (FCV). President Barack Obama announced the availability of the funding during a visit to Southern California Edison’s Electric Vehicle Center today.
This funding has been divided between two Funding Opportunity Announcements: Recovery Act - Transportation Electrification (DE-FOA-0000026); and Recovery Act - Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Component Manufacturing Initiative (DE-FOA-0000028). The former will provide up to $400 million for EDV and electrification infrastructure demonstration and evaluation projects. The latter will provide grants to US-based manufacturers of up to $1.5 billion to produce advanced automotive batteries and their components, and up to $500 million to produce other components needed for electric vehicles, such as electric motors.
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New Electrostatic Nanocapacitors Offer High Power and High Energy Density
March 17, 2009
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| SEM cross-sections of MIM nanocapacitors. (a) Bottom of tube showing the AAO barrier layer and three layers corresponding to the TiN bottom electrode (BE), Al2O3 and the TiN top electrode (TE). (b) Pore openings at the top also show a similar trilayer structure. Banerjee et al. (2009). Click to enlarge. |
Researchers from the University of Maryland and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have used atomic layer deposition (ALD) to fabricate arrays of metal–insulator–metal (MIM) nanocapacitors in anodic aluminium oxide nanopores that can produce viable energy storage systems offering the high power of electrostatic capacitors combined with the energy capacity of supercapacitors.
The highly regular arrays have a capacitance per unit planar area of ~10 µF cm-2 for 1-µm-thick anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) and 100 µF cm-2 for 10-µm-thick anodic aluminium oxide, significantly exceeding previously reported values for metal–insulator–metal capacitors in porous templates. A report on their work was published online 15 March in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.
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Hitachi Restructures, Spinning Off Automotive Systems Business; to Launch Group-Wide Strategies for Li-ion Battery and Renewables Businesses
March 16, 2009
As part of a major restructuring in announced in Tokyo on Monday, Hitachi Ltd. will spin off its Automotive Systems Business into a wholly-owned subsidiary on 1 July. The new automotive business will have a special focus on hybrid and electric drive system components, as well as technologies for enhancing the efficiency of internal combustion engines.
In addition, on 1 April, the company will introduce organizations to plan and propose R&D and business strategies for the whole Hitachi Group regarding lithium-ion battery and renewable energy-related businesses. Hitachi says that it will “take steps to quickly launch businesses in these areas.”
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Ener1 Outlines Automotive Programs Underway for Li-ion Packs
March 13, 2009
As part of its report on fourth quarter and year-end 2008 results, Ener1 outlined its EnerDel unit’s customer programs underway for its lithium-ion battery technology in applications spanning hybrids, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and full electric vehicles.
Overall, Ener1 reported 2008 revenues of $6.8 million compared to $280,000 in 2007. Fourth quarter 2008 revenues were $6.3 million. Operating expenses were $36 million in 2008 compared to $21 million in 2007 as Ener1 increased research and development expenditures for customer and government projects, with R&D accounting for $23 million. Net loss in 2008 was $43 million, compared to a loss of $51.7 million in 2007.
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MIT Researchers Develop Lithium Iron Phosphate Material with Charge/Discharge Rates Comparable to Supercapacitors
March 12, 2009
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| Discharge capability at very high rate for LiFe0.9P0.95O42-δ. Full charge–discharge cycles at constant 197C and 397C current rates without holding the voltage. The first, fiftieth and hundredth discharges are shown for each rate. Source: Kang and Ceder (2009). Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at MIT have developed a lithium iron phosphate electrode material that achieves ultra-high discharge rates comparable to those of supercapacitors, while maintaining the high energy density characteristic of lithium-ion batteries. The new material has a rate capability equivalent to full battery discharge in 10–20 s. A paper on the work led by Gerbrand Ceder, the Richard P. Simmons Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, appeared online 12 March in the journal Nature.
The MIT team realized the fast-charge and discharge capability by creating a glassy lithium phosphate coating on the surface of nanoscale LiFePO4. Glassy lithium phosphates are known to be good, stable Li+ conductors.
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Altair Nanotechnologies Pursuing ARRA Funding for Grid Modernization
March 11, 2009
Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (Altairnano), a provider of lithium-ion energy storage systems, is pursuing federal funds associated with the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which includes $4.5 billion for the modernization of the US electricity grid. Altairnano is developing energy storage systems for the automotive market as well as for the power generation sector. (Earlier post.)
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes an Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability program designed to accelerate the modernization of the US electricity grid. The program will provide up to $4.5 billion in funds to support the development, demonstration and deployment of energy reliability activities, including demand responsive equipment, enhance security and reliability of the energy infrastructure, and energy storage research.
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Pininfarina/Bolloré BLUECAR EV Shown at Geneva
March 09, 2009
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| The BLUECAR. Click to enlarge. |
Pininfarina and Bolloré, which set up a 50-50 joint venture at the beginning of 2008 with the purpose of designing, developing, manufacturing and distributing an electric car, displayed the latest version of the Pininfarina BLUECAR at the Geneva Motor Show on the Véhicules Électriques Pininfarina-Bolloré stand. (Earlier post.)
The prototype shown at Geneva is a forerunner of the vehicle which will go into production in Italy at Pininfarina starting from 2010 with the first units. Production on an industrial scale will take place between 2011 and 2017, with forecast output by 2015 being about 60,000, according to the partners.
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Profile: Li-ion Provider Compact Power, Inc. Focusing on the Automotive and Vehicle Markets
February 19, 2009
by Bill Cooke
Green Car Congress recently had the opportunity to spend some time with Dr. Prabhakar Patil, the CEO of Compact Power, Inc. (CPI) shortly after GM selected CPI and its parent LG Chem as the provider for the Li-ion batteries for the Extended Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV) Chevy Volt. (GM plans to handle module and pack assembly itself, earlier post.) Dr. Patil has an undergraduate degree from IIT, Bombay (India) and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He served as the chief engineer for the Ford Escape Hybrid from 1998 to 2003 and holds 12 patents.
CPI is initially focusing on battery systems for what Patil calls xEVs—the range of electrified vehicles from simple hybrids through full electric vehicles—“so we don’t stretch ourselves too thin.” The common denominator across all will be the battery, even though the battery characteristics are different for each of these applications and may require different Li-ion chemistries.
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Update on Select Argonne Lab Activity with HEV and PHEV Li-ion Batteries
February 17, 2009
At the recent SAE 2009 Hybrid Vehicle Technology Symposium, Dr. Khalil Amine, Senior Scientist and Manager of Argonne National Laboratory’s advanced Lithium Battery Program, provided an update on some of the activities at Argonne on advanced high-power systems for hybrid-electric (HEV) and high-energy systems for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV).
Work from the Argonne portfolio that Amine chose to highlight included a manganese spinel system with a new Argonne-developed titanate (Li4Ti5O12) anode material for high-power HEV batteries; stabilizing the performance of conventional layered oxide cathodes by surface coating with AlF3; engineering LiFePO4 particle morphology to double the volumetric energy density; and a new very high energy composite electrode cathode with a capacity of 270 mAhg-1 for application in 40-mile electric range PHEVs.
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Volkswagen and Toshiba to Partner on Electric Drive, Power Electronics and Batteries
February 12, 2009
Volkswagen AG and the Toshiba Corporation signed a letter of intent to cooperate for the development of electric drive units and the accompanying power electronics for Volkswagen’s planned New Small Family. Furthermore, Volkswagen and Toshiba are planning the development of battery systems with a high specific energy density for the next generation of electric vehicles.
Volkswagen’s objective, said Prof. Dr Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the board of management, is to be the first manufacturer to provide an emissions-free, affordable and safe large-scale production electric vehicle.
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East Penn Manufacturing and Nuvera Fuel Cells Provide 20 Fuel Cell/Battery Hybrid Units for Forklift Demonstration
February 10, 2009
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| ReadyPower 750 Ah hybrid fuel cell/battery power pack. Source: Nuvera. Click to enlarge. |
East Penn Manufacturing and Nuvera Fuel Cells have supplied 20 ReadyPower fuel cell/battery hybrid units to the Susquehanna Defense Distribution Supply Depot (DDSP) in New Cumberland, PA. The units have been installed into 20 Yale forklift trucks as part of a two-year demonstration project run by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).
The ReadyPower units will be run at the DDSP in regular operation consisting of two shifts a day, five days a week, and will be compared to the performance that would have been attained using standard motive batteries.
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Researchers Fabricate Coaxial MnO2/Carbon Nanotube Arrays for High Performance Li-Ion Cathodes
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| Electrochemical properties of MnO2/CNT hybrid coaxial nanotubes as cathodes in Li battery. (a) Charge-discharge voltage profiles for MnO2/CNT nanotube electrodes cycled at a rate of 50 mA/g between 3.2 and 0.02 V vs Li/Li+. (b) Variation in discharge capacity vs cycle number for MnO2/CNT nanotubes, MnO2 nanotubes, and carbon nanotubes. Credit: ACS. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at Rice University have fabricated hybrid coaxial metal-oxide/carbon nanotube arrays as cathode material for high performance lithium-ion batteries. The coax tubes consist of a manganese oxide (MnO2) shell and a highly conductive nanotube (CNT) core. A paper on their work was published online 2 February in the ACS journal Nano Letters.
The team from Pulickel Ajayan’s research group found that stronger cyclic stability and capacity of MnO2/CNT coaxial nanotube electrodes resulted from the hybrid nature of the electrodes with improved electronic conductivity and a dual mechanism of lithium storage. The reversible capacity of the battery was increased by an order compared to template grown MnO2 nanotubes, making them suitable electrodes for advanced Li-ion batteries, according to the team.
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Ford Selects Johnson Controls-Saft for PHEV Battery Supplier in 2012; Adds 7 Utilities to PHEV Test Program
February 03, 2009
Ford has into a partnership with Johnson Controls-Saft (JCS) to develop advanced lithium-ion battery system to power Ford’s first production plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) beginning in 2012. Also, seven regional electric utility partners are joining Ford and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to conduct real-world tests on an expanding fleet of Ford Escape PHEVs.
Ford says partnerships will help it accelerate its electrification strategy, including bringing a full battery electric vehicle (BEV) van to market in 2010 for commercial use, a small BEV sedan developed jointly with Magna International—unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January—by 2011 (earlier post) and a PHEV by 2012.
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Pennsylvania Awards Axion Power $800,000 to Demonstrate PbC Batteries in Hybrids, PHEVs and EVs
February 02, 2009
The Pennsylvania Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) program has awarded Axion Power International, Inc. an $800,000 grant to demonstrate Axion’s proprietary PbC battery technology (earlier post) in a variety of electric vehicle types including: hybrids (HEVs); plug-in hybrid electric (PHEVs) used in commuter, delivery and other vehicles; and EVs , including converted (from combustion engine operation) EVs.
The PbC battery technology—multi-celled asymmetrically supercapacitive lead-acid-carbon hybrid batteries—replaces simple lead-based negative electrodes used by other manufacturers with activated carbon electrode assemblies and has significantly enhanced performance characteristics when compared with other advanced lead-acid batteries.
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Ener1 Expands Relationship with ITOCHU, Preparing to Enter Japanese Marketplace
Ener1, Inc., the parent of EnerDel, maker of lithium-ion batteries, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Japan-based ITOCHU Corporation, a highly diversified global trading company that leads the world market in distribution of specialized equipment and materials needed to produce lithium-ion battery cells. ITOCHU is a long-term strategic partner of and current investor in Ener1.
The purpose of the MOU is to define the parties’ relationship with respect to the introduction of Ener1’s products into the Japanese marketplace. ITOCHU, which has strategic partnerships and equity ownership in the Japanese automotive manufacturing community, will serve as Ener1’s Japanese sales, marketing and development partner for both the Japanese automotive OEMs as well as the Japanese Tier One suppliers.
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Ricardo Launches Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Battery System Development Facility in Detroit
January 27, 2009
Ricardo Inc. has launched a new Battery Systems Development Center at the Ricardo Detroit Technology Campus to provide complete vehicle systems integration for turnkey development and application of complete high-voltage battery-pack systems for hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles.
Prototype battery pack systems will undergo development in specially-built development chambers equipped with robust safety and filtration systems. Each will feature high-capacity battery cyclers, high-voltage instrumentation, hardware-in-the-loop systems and other equipment to enable the development of battery systems in simulated vehicle environments.
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Researchers Propose Hybrid Structure of Metal Oxide Nanowires Covered with Metal Nanoclusters for Stable, High-Capacity Li-ion Anodes
January 25, 2009
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| (a) Schematic showing evenly spread out Sn nanoclusters on a SnO2 nanowire surface. (b) SEM image showing a network of Sn-nanocluster-covered SnO2 nanowires. (c) HRTEM image showing well-spaced crystalline Sn nanoclusters on the nanowire periphery. Credit: ACS. Click to enlarge. |
Researchers at the University of Louisville (Kentucky) are proposing a simple, generic design for stable, high-capacity lithium-ion anode materials consisting of hybrid structures involving metal nanoclusters supported on metal oxide nanowires.
In a paper published online 21 January in the ACS journal Nano Letters, the team presented a study demonstrating the design concept using a tin and tin oxide (Sn and SnO2) material system. The design, they noted, can be extended to a wide range of metal oxides, nitrides, and other semiconductors such as Si (silicon) and Ge (germanium).
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DONG Energy Invests in Li-ion Battery Management Systems Company
January 22, 2009
DONG Energy is taking an undisclosed stake in Denmark-based LiTHIUM BALANCE A/S, a developer of lithium-ion battery management systems (BMS) for applications including electric and hybrid cars. DONG Energy is a Northern European energy company based in Denmark, and is primarily owned by the Danish government.
The LiTHIUM BALANCE BMS system is a multi-voltage power management system that can accommodate all electric applications working between 12 and 400 volts while delivering a continued current of up to 500 amps.
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New Crystalline-Amorphous Core-Shell Silicon Nanowires for High Capacity and High Current Li-Ion Electrodes
January 21, 2009
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| Top: Schematic illustration of the lithiation of the Si c-a core-shell NWs. Bottom: Capacity and Coulombic efficiency over 100 cycles. Credit: ACS. Click to enlarge. |
A team of researchers from Stanford University and Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, led by Stanford professor Yi Cui, have developed a core-shell design of crystalline-amorphous (c-a) silicon nanowires (NW) to enable higher power and longer-life lithium-ion battery electrodes. A paper describing the work was published in the 14 January issue of the ACS journal Nano Letters.
Silicon is an attractive alloy-type anode material for lithium-ion batteries because of its highest known capacity (4,200 mAh g-1). However, silicon’s large volume change upon lithium insertion and extraction, which causes pulverization and capacity fading, has limited its applications.
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New System for Managing Multiple Types of Power Units Could Reduce Cost of Hybrids and Plug-ins
January 18, 2009
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| Multi-Flex unit in a golf cart battery pack. Click to enlarge. |
An Indiana startup, Indy Power Systems, has developed a hardware platform that uses embedded software to manage the flow of energy between multiple types of power units—including different types of rechargeable batteries and fuel cells.
Indy Power System’s Multi-Flex Energy Management System blends two or more sources of power so that the cost and performance characteristics of each can be optimized. The system could potentially reduce the cost of a battery-electric vehicle energy storage system by around 50% per vehicle, according to internal company tests that combined power from lithium-ion batteries and lead-acid batteries.
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RWE Innogy Invests €5.5M in ReVolt; Rechargeable Zinc-air Storage Systems
January 16, 2009
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| Benchmarking ReVolt Zn-Air (green) against NiMH and Li-ion. Source: ReVolt. Click to enlarge. |
RWE Innogy, the renewable power generation arm of Germany-based RWE Group, is investing €5.5 million (US$7.3M) in ReVolt Technology AS, a technology company developing of rechargeable zinc-air storage systems. The RWE investment was part of a €10 million Series B round that included current investors NorthZone Ventures (Sweden), SINTEF (Norway), Sofinnova Partners (France), TVM Capital (Germany), Verdane Capital (Norway) and Viking Venture (Norway).
The new €10 investment combined with an earlier €5.5 million investment in 2007 by current investors brings the total B round commitment to €15.5 million and total amount invested in ReVolt technology since inception to €24 million (US$31.8 million).
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BYD Shows Production F3DM PHEV and F6DM in Detroit; Introduces Battery-Electric e6 Crossover
January 13, 2009
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| The F3DM plug-in hybrid. Click to enlarge. |
China’s BYD Auto showed the production version of its F3DM (dual mode) plug-in hybrid electric vehicle at the North American International Auto Show. The PHEV, which has gone on-sale in China, will begin US sales in 2011, according to the company. The company also showed the F6DM, a larger version of the F3DM due to go onsale this year, as well as an all-new battery-electric crossover, the e6.
BYD Auto, which is a subsidiary of China-based BYD Group, the leading provider of NiCd batteries (65% global market share) and lithium-ion cell phone batteries (30% global market share), uses BYD lithium-ion iron phosphate cells in its energy storage system. BYD says that its battery packs retain 80% of initial capacity through 2,000 full charge and discharge cycles, and have a 10-year lifetime.
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Johnson Controls-Saft in 5-Year Li-ion Pack Supply Agreement with Azure Dynamics
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| The JCS Li-ion pack for Azure Dynamics Balance hybrids. Click to enlarge. |
Johnson Controls-Saft (JCS) and Azure Dynamics Inc (AZD) have entered a five-year supply agreement under which JCS will provide a Li-ion battery pack and pack electronics to Azure Dynamics for use in its commercial vehicle hybrid systems.
The approximately 2.0 kWh, 345V battery system comprises 96 6.8Ah cells (the same cells being used in the JCS packs for the Mercedes-Benz and BMW hybrids), grouped in 12-cell modules. The pack is liquid-cooled.
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GM to Manufacture Volt Packs in US; LG Chem Providing Cells; Partnership with U. Michigan
January 12, 2009
As a manifestation of its rapidly developing advanced battery strategy, GM will establish its own lithium-ion battery pack manufacturing facility in the United States—the first such in the US solely operated by an automaker—to produce the 16 kWh Li-ion packs for the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle. GM selected LG Chem over A123Systems (earlier post) to supply the cells. GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner made the announcement at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The announcement reflects GM’s embrace of advanced battery technology as a core strategic competency. As part of that strategic adoption of battery technology, Wagoner also announced that GM will open a new automotive battery lab—the largest of its kind—and a new partnership with the University of Michigan to create a new automotive advanced battery lab in Ann Arbor, Mich., as well as a specialized curriculum within U-M’s College of Engineering to develop automotive battery engineers.
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Johnson Controls Introduces re3 Concept Plug-in Hybrid at Detroit Show
January 11, 2009
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| Johnson Controls packaged the 96-cell Li-ion pack in a front floor console unit. Click to enlarge. |
Johnson Controls unveiled its re3 concept plug-in hybrid electric vehicle at the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The re3 concept is designed to highlight Johnson Controls’ capabilities in seating, interiors, electronics and hybrid power solutions applied in the small car segment.
On the powertrain side, the re3 concept features an air-cooled, 96-cell, 22 Ah Li-ion battery pack with approximately 8.2 kWh of capacity and a discharge capacity of greater than 50 kw. Electric range for the concept is approximately 20 miles.
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KPMG Global Auto Executive Survey Highlights Impact of Downturn on Industry; Increasing Importance of Hybrid, Electric and Battery Technologies
January 10, 2009
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| Concerns about the global economy and environmental issues have grown steadily in importance to the industry, according to the latest survey findings. Source: KPMG. Click to enlarge. |
The just-released tenth consecutive annual survey of senior global auto executives carried out by KPMG firms—The KPMG Global Auto Executive Survey 2009—highlights the impact of the economic crisis on the global automotive industry. The survey found that sales and profitability expectations are down sharply; that more bankruptcies are expected, along with intensive restructuring; that costs must be cut, meaning process innovation will have to intensify; and that auto execs expect that customers will become more discriminating, and more concerned with total cost of ownership.
However, the industry also sees great opportunities in new technologies, particularly alternative fuel and fuel efficiency technologies. Despite the fall in oil prices during late 2008, companies have increased their sales expectations for hybrid and alternative propulsion vehicles.
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A123Systems Seeking $1.84B in ATVMIP Loans to Support Construction of Li-ion Plants in US; Targeting 5M HEV Packs by 2013
January 07, 2009
A123Systems has submitted an application under the US Department of Energy’s $25-billion Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program (ATVMIP) to qualify for $1.84 billion in direct loans to support the construction of new lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities in the United States, with the first construction location in southeast Michigan.
If A123’s application is approved, this program would enable the company to significantly expand production capacity in the United States, with full production volumes designed to supply battery systems for 5 million hybrid electric vehicles or 500,000 plug-in electric vehicles per year by 2013.
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Kawasaki to Produce Gigacell Bipolar NiMH Batteries for Transportation Applications
January 06, 2009
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| The KHI Gigacell bipolar NiMH stack. Source: KHI. Click to enlarge. |
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (KHI) will begin manufacturing versions of the Gigacell bipolar NiMH industrial battery—originally targeted for grid applications such as output smoothing for wind and solar—for transportation applications, beginning with systems for rail applications, according to a report in the Nikkei.
KHI is also testing Gigacell-powered forklifts, and plans to expand the product line to include high-power models for industrial-use vehicles and high-energy models for use as emergency power sources. The company is also investigating a more compact version of the Gigacell for vehicle applications.
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FDK To Begin Mass Production of High-Capacity Li-Ion Capacitors; Automotive and Renewable Energy Applications
January 04, 2009
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| The EneCapTen large capacitor. Click to enlarge. |
FDK Corp. will begin mass production of its line of lithium-ion capacitors (LIC) as early as spring. The company will install new production lines at its factory in Kosai, Shizuoka Prefecture, with a gradual expansion in monthly output capacity to 500,000 units, according to a report in the Nikkei. FDK plans to invest ¥2-5 billion (US$21.7-54.2 million) by the end of 2012.
FDK announced its EneCapTen lithium-ion capacitor in 2007. The EneCapTen performs well under high temperatures (up to 80 °C); offers a maximum cell voltage of 4.0V; maximum capacitance of 2,000F; and an energy density of up to 25 Wh/L (14 Wh/kg)—3-4 times that of FDK’s older electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC).
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EnerDel Applies for $480M in US Loan Funds to Expand Li-ion Manufacturing Capability; Targeting Capacity for 1.2M HEV Packs Annually by 2015
January 02, 2009
EnerDel, the lithium-ion battery subsidiary of Ener1, has applied for US$480 million in low-interest loans under the $25-billion Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Incentive Program (ATVMIP), which is administered by the US Department of Energy (DOE) (earlier post).
If granted, the funds will enable EnerDel to double manufacturing capacity to produce 600,000 hybrid electric vehicle packs per year at its existing plant in Indiana by 2011, and to build a second larger plant capable of producing battery packs for up to 1.2 million hybrid electric vehicles by 2015.
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China-based Battery Maker Takes Stake in US PHEV Conversion Company
December 22, 2008
Gold Peak Industries North America, a subsidiary of China-based GP Batteries International, has acquired an equity stake in Plug In Conversions Corp. (PICC), a designer, developer and marketer of kits that allow hybrid owners to convert their cars to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
Founded in May 2007 with an initial target of Prius conversions, PICC currently offers a 6.1 kWh NiMH replacement pack kit—using GP batteries—for the Toyota OEM 1.3 kWh NiMH pack. The PHEV kit sells for $12,500, including installation.
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Michigan Passes $517.5M Tax Credit Package for Manufacturers of Plug-in Traction Batteries
December 19, 2008
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| Elements of the plug-in battery pack tax credit package. Click to enlarge. Source: Michigan Senate. |
The Michigan Senate on Friday approved a package of up to $517.5 million in tax credits designed to encourage the manufacture of plug-in traction batteries in the state. The House had already approved the bill, HB 6611.
The package provides credits in four separate areas: assembly of battery packs with a minimum capacity of 4 kWh; engineering for pack integration into the vehicles; engineering for advanced battery technologies; and capital investment expenses for manufacturing facilities.
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Panasonic Buying Sanyo for $9B; HEV and EV Batteries an Important Focus
Panasonic Corporation and Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. have finalized the terms of Panasonic’s acquisition of Sanyo. (Earlier post.) Panasonic is launching a public tender offer at ¥131 per share of common stock and ¥1,310 per share of preferred stock, resulting in a deal worth about US$9 billion. The companies say they will form a close alliance in business with the prospect of organizational restructurings of both companies.
Batteries are one of the primary areas of benefit for Panasonic. The acquisition will, among other things, catapult Panasonic’s share of the rechargeable battery market to 38% from 10% this year, according to a Goldman Sachs analyst report. Panasonic, which currently provides NiMH packs to Toyota and is developing Li-ion packs through its PEVE joint venture, says that it will make active investments in batteries for HEVs (hybrid electric vehicle) and EV (electric vehicles).
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14 US Companies, Argonne Lab Form National Alliance to Advance Li-ion Battery Manufacturing in the US
December 18, 2008
Fourteen US battery and advanced materials companies, with support from Argonne National Laboratory, have formed the National Alliance for Advanced Transportation Battery Cell Manufacture to support the development of manufacturing capabilities for automotive Li-ion batteries in the US.
The founding members of the Alliance include 3M, ActaCell, All Cell Technologies, Altair Nanotechnologies, Dontech Global, EaglePicher Corporation, EnerSys, Envia Systems, FMC, MicroSun Technologies, Mobius Power, SiLyte, Superior Graphite, and Townsend Advanced Energy. The founding members anticipate other battery developers and materials suppliers will join the Alliance. Argonne has been active in encouraging the Alliance and will continue to serve in an advisory role as the Alliance begins operations.
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Imara Corporation Launches; New Li-ion Battery Technology for High-Power Applications
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| A Ragone plot of Imara’s NMC cell compared to iron phosphate, Mn spinel and NMC-Mn blends from A123Systems, Sony, Sanyo and E-One. Click to enlarge. Source: Imara |
Start-up Li-ion battery maker Imara Corporation (formerly known as Lion Cells) has officially launched. The company developed a combination of processing technique and unique materials science technology to manufacture high-power, long cycle-life cells and packs, with an initial focus on the portable tools and outdoor power equipment markets.
Imara’s technology is materials-agnostic; for the initial line of 18650 cells, it is using a lithiated nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) oxide cathode. The Imara 18650 NMC cells offer an energy density of 140 Wh/kg, according to Neil Maguire, Imara’s VP of business development. (Maguire came to Imara via Delphi and GM.)
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Honda and GS Yuasa to Form Joint Venture for Li-ion Batteries for Hybrids
December 17, 2008
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| The new join venture will work from the basis of the GS Yuasa EH6 power cell. Click to enlarge. |
Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and GS Yuasa have agreed to establish a joint venture company which will manufacture, sell and conduct R&D for high-power lithium-ion batteries with a central focus on applications in hybrid electric vehicles. The two companies aim to establish the new company sometime around spring 2009. This will be GS Yuasa’s second Li-ion joint venture with a major automaker.
The new company will manufacture batteries based on GS Yuasa’s 6Ah-class prismatic Li-ion EH6 cell. The new venture will explore modifying the cathode materials and cell structure to optimize performance for next-generation hybrid vehicles.
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Evonik and Daimler Establish Strategic Alliance for Automotive Li-ion Battery Research, Development and Production; Li-Tec Cells to Be Used in Mercedes EVs
December 15, 2008
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| A Li-Tec 40 Ah high-energy cell. Click to enlarge. |
Evonik Industries AG and Daimler AG have established a strategic alliance to further the research, development and production of lithium-ion battery cells and battery systems in Germany. (Earlier post.)
The two companies will form a joint venture focused on the development and production of batteries and battery systems for automotive applications. Daimler will hold 90% of this joint venture, and Evonik 10%. In addition, Daimler is acquiring 49.9% of Evonik Group subsidiary Li-Tec—Evonik Industries AG already holds 50.1%. As part of the agreement, Mercedes will use Li-Tec lithium-ion cells in upcoming series-production electric vehicles.
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LG Chem and STMicroelectronics Partner on Li-ion Battery Packs
December 11, 2008
LG Chem, the largest Korean chemical company, and STMicroelectronics, one of the world’s leading semiconductor suppliers, are developing new automotive battery packs that combine LG Chem’s lithium ion (Li-ion) battery technology with a battery management chip manufactured by ST.
ST’s battery-management chip is manufactured with the company’s proprietary BCD (Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) technology, which combines digital logic circuits, precise analog measurement circuits and power-handling transistors in one silicon chip. A Battery Management System with these chips accurately controls the charging and discharging cycles of the battery to enable safe operation and long battery life.
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EnerDel in Partnership to Develop Li-ion Batteries for Bus and Heavy-Duty Markets
December 09, 2008
EnerDel, Ener1’s Li-ion battery subsidiary; the US Department of Energy (DOE); and a heavy-duty OEM are partnering to develop high-energy Li-ion batteries for hybrid bus and heavy-duty vehicle markets. The partnership is a Congressionally directed program with a total budget of $1.25 million, 80% of which will be funded by the National Energy Technology Laboratory at the DOE, and the remaining 20% percent will be funded by EnerDel.
The program is intended to test three EnerDel battery chemistries to determine which best meets the need of a heavy-duty drive cycle in extreme environments, ranging from hot and cold climates to operating for two or three minutes in all-electric mode, said Charles Gassenheimer, Chairman and CEO of Ener1. The chemistries to be evaluated are:
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DOE to Fund up to $14.55M for Vehicle RD&D Projects: PHEV Li-ion Materials and Manufacturing; Thermoelectric HVAC; and Aerodynamic Heavy-Duty Truck Trailers
December 04, 2008
The US Department of Energy (DOE) selected six cost-shared research projects for the development and demonstration of alternative vehicle technology projects totaling a DOE investment of up to $14.55 million over three years, subject to annual appropriations. The projects were selected under three diverse topic areas: lithium-ion battery materials and manufacturing; thermoelectric heating, ventilation, and air conditioning; and aerodynamic heavy-duty truck trailers. (Earlier post.)
Private sector contributions will further increase the financial investment for a total of up to $29.3 million. The selections are part of DOE’s continuing work to develop high efficiency vehicle technologies and are not part of the previously announced $25 billion Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program for retooling. (Earlier post.)
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Celgard Receives $2.3M Development Contract from USABC for Li-ion Separator Technology
December 03, 2008
Celgard, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polypore International, Inc., has received a $2.3 million contract from the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) to develop separator technology for lithium-ion batteries for hybrid-electric (HEV) and plug-in hybrid-electric (PHEV) vehicles.
The 18-month cost-share contract involves demonstrating performance characteristics of high-temperature melt integrity (HTMI) lithium-ion battery separators, focusing on abuse tolerances, production process definition and scale-up parameters. A standard definition and protocol for measuring HTMI will also be developed as a part of this contract.
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Ford Asks Congress for $9B Stand-By Line of Credit; Commercial BEV by 2010, BEV Sedan by 2011
December 02, 2008
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| Overview of Ford’s technology sustainability plan. Click to enlarge. |
Ford Motor Company this morning submitted to Congress a business plan detailing a pathway to profitability and requested a “stand-by” line of credit in the amount of up to $9 billion at Government borrowing rates, for a 10-year term, with TARP conditions, in case the current economic crisis worsens or there is a bankruptcy of a major competitor. (TARP is the $700-billion Troubled Assets Relief Program for the financial sector.)
Ford said it will accelerate the transformation of its North American automotive business through aggressive restructuring actions and the introduction of more fuel-efficient vehicles—including a broader range of hybrid-electric vehicles and the introduction of advanced plug-in hybrids and full electric vehicles.
