Kokam produces a range of prismatic lithium polymer cells (the “Superior Lithium Polymer Battery”, SLPB) based on an NMC cathode (lithium cobalt manganese nickel oxide) with a graphite anode. Its large format, large capacity cells range from 5 Ah to 240 Ah. Kokam America has been producing its SLPB cells for 8 years in its Missouri plant, says Kokam America CEO Don Nissanka, targeting niche market applications from the military, to medical devices, to industrial applications. The company did $40 million in sales last year, and was profitable.

There is nothing magic to [the chemistry]. We have some inside things that we do for safety, and a patent on the cell design. We produce high energy and high power density cells—we can capture both in one cell—and also have good cycle life. Today we can make that product very cost effective.

—Don Nissanka

Nissanka estimated that currently the production cost for the SLPB cells is in the $0.75/Wh range ($750/kWh). “Going into the auto industry, we have to keep below $0.50/Wh [$500/kWh] and we believe we can get there.”

Kokam uses thin film lamination in the manufacture of the plates for the cells, with patents on its folder-to-folder continuous manufacturing process. This technology provides two improvements over conventional Li-ion technologies in the market today, according to Kokam:

• A flexible form factor using stacked type cell assembly that can be combined with folder-to-folder continuous production processes. This allows shortened evolution time from a developmental prototype cell to a large scale commercial production cell.

• An improvement in safety due to the reduction in the physical impedance of the cell.

Kokam cells for applications such as SEV-US’ will likely have an energy density in the range of 180 Wh/kg, with power density in the range of 2,200-2,400 W/kg, Nissanka said. The cells have a cycle life of 1,500 cycles at 100% Depth of Discharge, and offer a fast charge capability which “was one of the reasons Smith picked us,” Nissanka said.

Kokam has always been in the niche markets, Nissanka said, although the company began gearing up for the automotive market several years ago. Aside from the benefit of having a customer with a proven portfolio, and aggressive expansion plans (SEV-US is partnering with Ford on the electric Transit Connect in the US, earlier post), the relationship with Smith will also provide Kokam with a valuable trove of real-world operational data.

We are looking to get as much data as we can. Nobody really knows how [these batteries] will perform in two, three, five years. With Smith, with the cooperative relationship, we will understand how batteries will perform on the road. Working closely with them, accumulating much data, working with universities...over the next few years we will learn a lot.

—Don Nissanka

The joint venture with Dow Chemical is basically to expand the business, and not for battery material, Nissanka said. Dow Chemical is a Tier 1 supplier to the auto industry with significant presence, and it has the scale-up capability to help Kokam go from producing cells in small volumes to very high volumes.

The structure of the joint venture is between Dow Chemical, Kokam America and Townsend Ventures LLC. Townsend is also the majority shareholder in Kokam Korea, and Kokam America. Nissanka is also currently serving as the CEO of the JV.