Japanese Companies to Partner on Automotive Li-ion Battery Standards
18 July 2008
Nikkei. Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and other major Japanese companies will work together to develop common standards for automotive lithium-ion batteries.
A total of nine automakers and motorcycle manufacturers will take part, as well as six battery makers and Tokyo Electric Power Co.. A draft of the standards will be developed under the lead of an organization affiliated with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The companies aim to pitch their specifications to the International Organization for Standardization, with the goal of creating the global yardstick for lithium ion batteries in vehicles.
These standards are expected to cover such areas as testing methods and the safety of battery-powered vehicles. Charging methods for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are also expected to be standardized so that a single charger can be used with different vehicles.
Good. Standards are needed. Hope the motorcycle company gives good input & standards are set for electric bicycles(EB) too. EBs by the scores of millions have already been produced in China. They have to invite the Chinese in on the standards too.
Posted by: litesong | 18 July 2008 at 03:15 PM
The charger component is very important since with a standardized design, every PHEV and BEV out there can plug into a high-capacity commercial charging connection for a faster charge in under 10 minutes for a supercapacitor-based battery pack (which will start hitting the market in the 2011-2014 time frame).
Posted by: Raymond | 18 July 2008 at 03:28 PM
It is very important that adequate standards are developed and are universaly adopted before every manufacturer creates its own. Of course, China, USA and EU should join in soonest.
Hope that MODULAR automotive battery pack standards will be created and used in the near future PHEVs and BEVs.
It would be very advantageous, to the end users, if we could start with one small (5 KWh) module and add more as they become smaller-lighter and more affordable.
Posted by: HarveyD | 18 July 2008 at 03:42 PM
Reading between the lines I would say this move by the Japanese is an indication of their intended dominance in PHEVs and BEVs. At one time U.S. companies proposed ISO standards. It appears they are now content to follow instead of lead. It's a shame that our auto companies have so long been run by bean counters instead of engineers.
Posted by: Lad | 18 July 2008 at 04:03 PM
@Lad,
Laggards don't want standards, because markets tend to ramp up when there are clear standards.
This is probably good. I just hope the standard is flexible enough to support leapfrog applications like Silicon nanowire cathodes and such.
Posted by: Healthy Breaze | 18 July 2008 at 04:15 PM
@Lad. I couldn't agree more with you.
@Healthy Breaze. I think the standard has more to do with form factors than it does with battery chemistry. At least, that's how I would go about it. Come up with a standard form factor and a standard charger and let the engineers go nuts from there.
Posted by: GreenPlease | 19 July 2008 at 04:51 AM
This is what is known as, Progress.
Posted by: | 21 July 2008 at 02:07 PM