A123Systems to Supply Li-Ion Engine Start Batteries to Cessna
19 September 2007
A123Systems will supply Cessna Aircraft Company with lithium-ion engine start batteries to be used in the Cessna Citation fleet of aircraft, Cessna’s business jet product line.
Offering a significant weight reduction over existing aircraft batteries, the company’s lithium ion technology is intended to replace the currently used Lead Acid and NiCd batteries. A123Systems’ drop-in replacements are based on existing aircraft battery designs.
The battery packs have a central monitoring system for in-cockpit diagnostic reporting and integrated intelligent balancing circuitry. Additionally, the cells offer a wide range of operating temperatures to meet rigorous aviation requirements. The cycle and calendar life versus existing solutions requires fewer maintenance cycles, thus lowering overall ownership costs.
Teaming up with the world’s largest manufacturer of business jet aircraft enables us to quickly bring to market a viable, cost-effective long-term solution for the aviation industry.
—David Vieau, president and CEO of A123Systems
A123Systems is scheduled to deliver its aviation packs to Cessna late in the second quarter of 2008. The exact Citation airframes to use the lithium ion batteries from A123Systems are yet to be determined.
Super. It will add to A123 getting into volume production that is needed to bring prices down. I fear though that volume for this type of application is limited. Anybody have any idea about how many kWh per year such a customer will buy?
Posted by: Henrik | 19 September 2007 at 07:40 AM
The most significant fact here is that the battery qualifies for use in an aircraft where safety must be the main feature. This is quite a vote of confidence by Cessna for A123System's Li Ion chemistry.
Posted by: Lad | 19 September 2007 at 08:05 AM
Cessnas have batteries? No more standing in front and yanking on the prop to start it?
Seriously, Lad is correct. A123 will sell more batteries to RC airplane hobbyists than Cessna, but it's a marketing coup from a safety angle. I'm more and more impressed with A123's management. They understand it takes more than good technology to build a company. Too bad they're private. We investors get flakey AltairNano instead, who thinks locking themselves into Phoenix Motorcars is a winning strategy.
Posted by: doggydogworld | 19 September 2007 at 11:19 AM
Yes, Lad you are right the scoop is marketing not volume. I found out Cessna has produced 184000 aircrafts since 1927. That is, they produce a few thousands a year today and I could imagine that a starter battery is probably only 1kWh per aircraft. Assuming at most 5000 planes a year this would be max 5000 kWh a year. This is still nothing. The rumor is that GM aspires to produce 60000 Volt plug-ins in its first full year of production possible 2011. If they really use a 16kWh battery for the Volt plug-in (I think it will be smaller probably 12kWh) that is almost 1 million kWh. Currently I think A123 produce less than 3 million 0.07kWh Dewalt 36V battery packs. That is A123 produce max 210000 kWh a year. They will need some volume orders from other customers to be able to meet the GM deal if they get it. Who could these volume customers be? Could it be that DeWalt will order more. They are showing off a 18V lithium pack maybe this will do the trick for A123 to reach 1 or 2 million kWh of annual production capacity by 2011.
Posted by: Henrik | 19 September 2007 at 01:02 PM
Et al:
To expand this a bit: this is but a foot in the marketing door of selling LiIon aviation batteries to the industry. With exceptions, all aircraft, including the Air Bus and Boeing commercial jets, use batteries to start on-board auxiliary power units (APUs), to hold the load between ground power connects and disconnects and to start engines and run the instruments for short periods of time, during normal ground use and during an emergency. Most run about 24 volts and must meet FAA requirements.
I think this is a smart management move by A123Systems to open up additional markets for its products and not to loss management control of its products by a unique relationship with a company like GM.
Posted by: Lad | 20 September 2007 at 12:05 AM
Et al:
To expand this a bit: this is but a foot in the marketing door of selling LiIon aviation batteries to the industry. With exceptions, all aircraft, including the Air Bus and Boeing commercial jets, use batteries to start on-board auxiliary power units (APUs), to hold the load between ground power connects and disconnects and to start engines and run the instruments for short periods of time, during normal ground use and during an emergency. Most run about 24 volts and must meet FAA requirements.
I think this is a smart management move by A123Systems to open up additional markets for its products and not to loss management control of its products by a unique relationship with a company like GM.
Posted by: Lad | 20 September 2007 at 12:06 AM
The posters claiming this is a marketing coup are correct. The Cessna Citation is, by itself, not a significant market. The Citation is a bizjet and Cessna may sell a couple of dozen a year.
Posted by: Bill Young | 20 September 2007 at 04:52 PM
The posters claiming this is a marketing coup are correct. The Cessna Citation is, by itself, not a significant market. The Citation is a bizjet and Cessna may sell a couple of dozen a year.
More like a couple hundred. If Cessna starts putting them in their piston planes as well it'd be 1000+/year. Still pretty small.
Wonder how much weight this saves? Small plane manufacturers fight for every pound.
Posted by: doggydogworld | 21 September 2007 at 07:28 AM