Report: Toshiba Boosts Discharge Density of SCiB Li-ion Battery, Plans Full-Scale Commercialization in the Fall
13 April 2009
The Nikkei reports that Toshiba has improved the discharge density of its SCiB Li-ion battery to 3,900 W/kg. Last year, Toshiba described the development of a 3.0 Ah high-power version of the SCiB with 3,600 W/kg output specifically for hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) applications. (Earlier post.)
...because it can be charged as fast as in a minute and a half, instead of more than 10 minutes, it is suited for plug-in hybrids, according to Toshiba. The battery also has a long life, capable of withstanding more than 10,000 recharges. The firm has started shipping it to major Japanese, US and European automakers on a trial basis.
In addition, Toshiba has developed a lithium ion battery with a high energy density for electric vehicles, given that discharging power over a long duration trumps high output in such applications. The company hopes to begin sample shipments of the battery this fall.
In February, Volkswagen AG and the Toshiba 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. Volkswagen and Toshiba said then they were planning the development of battery systems with a high specific energy density for the next generation of electric vehicles. (Earlier post.)
Cannondale Sports Group, a global provider of branded bicycles and a division of Dorel Industries, Inc., selected the SCiB to provide the power battery module for a new electric bicycle for the North American and European markets. Toshiba’s SCiB 24V/4.2Ah module will debut in the Tailwind, a new electric bicycle Cannondale Sports Group is bringing to market under the Schwinn Bicycles brand. (Earlier post.)
Toshiba currently produces 150,000 SCiBs a month at its plant in Nagano Prefecture, and plans to start constructing a factory in Niigata Prefecture by this fall to coincide with its full-scale entry into the field of automotive batteries. Toshiba is planning for an initial 2 million units a month upon start-up, and hopes to boost monthly output to 10 million by around 2015.
Toshiba has the deep pockets and the potential to become a major high performance batteries supplier for HEVs, PHEVs and EVs.
What is the potential energy density of their batteries? Rumours are above 200 Wh/Kg. Is that confirmed?
Over 10 000 full recharges + less than 1.5 minutes recharge time would make it and excellent unit for all electrified vehicles.
How cheap can it be mass produced?
Posted by: HarveyD | 13 April 2009 at 04:12 PM
If you follow one of the links it says they are 65 wh/kg
Posted by: wintermane2000 | 13 April 2009 at 07:43 PM
There are lot of battery companies that are waiting for the big buy from car companies. Car companies will tell you that the batteries are not here yet.
Seems like a "chicken and egg" bind that the consumer can solve. If people will demand PHEVs then the orders will follow. When they say "$5000 more!" then here we are.
Posted by: SJC | 13 April 2009 at 08:14 PM
I think it is apparent that the batteries are not here yet.
The car companies are waiting for industry to find the key or keys to make a battery that delivers maybe twice the power and energy density PER DOLLAR of today’s best hybrid/BEV batteries.
Battery orders will not solve the problem any more than buying millions of light bulbs will make LED lighting become mainstream and affordable; maybe just the opposite.
Today’s batteries are to expensive for what they deliver and the breakthrough or direction of evolution is not apparent nor will lots of money necessarily make it happen much sooner.
It may never happen.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 13 April 2009 at 09:07 PM
Harvey:
If battery could release close to 4 KW of power, it means that it could be recharged at 4 KW max, as a rule of thumb. Do your math to calculate for how long PHEV battery should be recharged, and what freaky current and voltage it will require.
Posted by: Andrey Levin | 14 April 2009 at 01:21 AM
These batteries may make an excellent pack for hybrids with short range.. since very few cells will deliver all the power you could possibly use.. and fewer cells may mean lower overall cost. They should also be excellent for brake energy recovery and they will probably need little cooling.
Lets say you need 80hp of juice to feed a motor in your Prius... that means you would need 15kg worth of these batteries, with a capacity of about 1Kwh... and these batteries have a wider SOC range than nimh or other lithium cells so you may actually have the same electric range. Perhaps simplify the cooling system and save a few lbs to boot.
Any ideas how much these batteries cost?
Posted by: Herm | 15 April 2009 at 02:15 AM