Electrovaya completes C$5M financing; new Office of Chairman
24 December 2010
Canada-based Li-ion battery maker Electrovaya Inc. has completed a financing for C$5 million (US$4.96 million). The funding is in consideration of a 6% secured promissory note in the aggregate principal amount of C$5 million and 500,000 common share purchase warrants issued to the lender.
The promissory note matures in; and the warrants are exercisable until, December 2013. Each share purchase warrant is convertible into one common share of the corporation.
This financing provides valuable working capital for future growth, including certain strategic initiatives and enables us to further expand our existing manufacturing capabilities through increased automation. The increase in manufacturing capacity is important as we continue to grow and address new opportunities in the clean transportation and stationary energy storage markets.
—Dr. Sankar Das Gupta, Chairman and CEO
Electrovaya also announced that the Company’s Board of Directors has approved the formation of an Office of the Chairman. Lead directors Thomas W. LaSorda, Clarence J. Chandran, and Dr. Bejoy Das Gupta join Dr. Sankar Das Gupta, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, in the newly created office.
As the global growth in lithium ion batteries for transportation and energy storage applications accelerates, the Office of the Chairman will focus and build on the opportunities for Electrovaya through joint ventures, licensing, strategic investors and partnerships across the industries of electric transportation, utility scale grid energy storage and consumer electronics.
—Dr. Sankar Das Gupta
A co-founder of the company, Electrovaya’s CEO, Dr. Sankar Das Gupta, has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors since April 1999. Thomas LaSorda, formerly the CEO and Board member of Chrysler Group, joined Electrovaya in March 2010 as a member of the Board Directors and Special Advisor to the CEO. Clarence J. Chandran, formerly the Chief Operating Officer of Nortel, joined Electrovaya’s Board of Directors in August 2010. Dr. Bejoy Das Gupta, joined Electrovaya’s Board of Directors in March, 1999, and is Deputy Director of the AsiaPacific Department of the Institute of International Finance, a global association of financial institutions based in Washington, DC.
Not so sure about the value of some of their new board members but Electrovaya has an excellent battery in serious need of appropriate marketing and lower cost mass production. Their new unit is approaching 400 Wh/Kg. With enough/more automation, it could be produced at an acceptable price. Alternatively, a JV with facilities in India or China could do more to lower mass production price.
Posted by: HarveyD | 24 December 2010 at 08:26 AM
With EM as a partner http://money.cnn.com/2009/06/23/news/companies/exxon_electric_cars_baltimore/index.htm?postversion=2009062314
they should have $500 million for 400 Wh/Kg batteries or is EM helping Electrovaya EV batteries like Chevron helps NiMH EV batteries?
Posted by: kelly | 24 December 2010 at 10:08 AM
What are the results of the car share ExxonMobil takes so much credit for over a year and a half ago?
Posted by: kelly | 24 December 2010 at 10:52 AM
EM and other oil firms will (should) soon invest heavily in the new energy sources that will replace liquid fuels. That good business common sense.
Posted by: HarveyD | 25 December 2010 at 10:02 AM
Right Harvey, provided there is some oversight to ensure there is no "warehousing" viable technology. As with Chevron and NiMh.
Posted by: Reel$$ | 25 December 2010 at 04:54 PM