University of Michigan and Ford researchers see plentiful lithium for EVs

Researchers from the University of Michigan and Ford Motor Co. have assessed the global availability of lithium and compared it to the potential demand from large-scale global use of electric vehicles. The research findings, published in the current issue of the Journal of Industrial Ecology, conclude that sufficient resources of lithium exist for the next 90 years to supply a large-scale global fleet of electric vehicles through at least 2100.

The researchers compiled data on 103 deposits containing lithium, with an emphasis on 32 deposits that have a lithium resource of more than 100,000 metric tons each. Lithium is a key ingredient in the development of certain types of batteries, and is a key element of batteries used in hybrid and all-electric vehicles.

The data collected included deposit location, geologic type, dimensions and content of lithium, as well as the current status of production. Using the definition of a lithium "resource" as a deposit from which production is currently or potentially feasible economically, the researchers estimated a global lithium resource of about 39 million tons.

The second part of the study examined lithium demand for the same 90-year period (2010-2100). Demand was estimated under the assumption of two different growth scenarios for electric vehicles and other current battery and non-battery applications.

Areas studied related to demand were lubricating grease, frits and glass, air conditioning and portable batteries, as well as batteries for hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and battery electric vehicles. The total demand for lithium was estimated to be in the range of 12-20 million tons, depending on assumptions regarding economic growth and recycling rates.

"Even with a rapid and widespread adoption of electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries, lithium resources are sufficient to support demand until at least the end of this century," the researchers conclude in the paper.

The study's main authors were Paul Gruber and Pablo Medina. They conducted the research as part of a graduate student research project before graduating in 2010 from the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment. The research partner was Ford Motor Co., the global automobile manufacturer based in Dearborn, Mich.

"We believe our assessment is a timely and comprehensive study that settles the question of whether the global resources are sufficient for electric vehicles using lithium-ion technology," said Gruber.

Other co-authors were U-M professors Gregory Keoleian of SNRE and Stephen Kesler, a professor emeritus of geological sciences, and two researchers from Ford: Mark Everson, the technical leader of the Manufacturing and Purchasing Strategy research group, and Timothy Wallington, technical leader of the Sustainability Science research group at Ford's Research and Innovation Center.

Nissan LEAF battery technology Explained [video]

Nissan Corporate Vice-President Simon Sproule gives a detailed explanation about the Nissan LEAF battery technology.

Japanese researchers triple li-ion battery capacity using metal foam

A new material has been developed by Japanese researchers, which has the ability to triple the capacity of lithium-ion batteries. Sumitomo Electric Industries has worked to set up a “small-scale production line” for producing such a material at its Osaka Works which is its R&D center. This project is named as “Aluminum-Celmet“.

Aluminum-Celmet forms the base of a highly efficient battery in which the porosity power is up to 98 per cent. It essentially is the replacement for the aluminum foil anode in a secondary rechargeable lithium-ion battery. This porous characteristic of Aluminum-Celmet forms the basis for a huge volume of lithium compound that helps in the flow of electricity.

This development by Sumitomo Electric is infact an outgrowth of its previous work on nickel and nickel-chromium materials which was tagged as Celmet generated from cell and metal. The way these are manufactured involves a high porosity conductive coating to form a foam made of plastic plated with nickel.

The foam is removed by heating the material which results into a 3-D mesh that is spherical in shape and has open pores. This can be easily processed by conventional methods which are cutting and attaching. Hence, Sumitomo Electric decided to use nickel-metal hydride and nickel-cadmium battery cells.

However, the advantage of the new Aluminum-Celmet material lies in it being light and having an improvised electrical conductivity power which can easily avoid corrosion resistance. These are the exact qualities that makes it well-suited for secondary lithium-ion batteries.

The firm has estimated that a lithium-ion automotive battery using Aluminum-Celmet will be able to provide one and a half times more power and a higher charging capacity of up to three times. It also seems to be an answer for improved capacitors seeking an aluminum capacitor having both positive and negative conductors by using a dielectric separator.

Sony eyes making batteries for electric vehicles

Sony is in talks with several automakers both inside and outside of Japan to make lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles from 2015, expecting a sharp increase in demand, an executive of the electronics company said Tuesday.

"We will consider building factories, including one overseas, if demand becomes full blown," Sony Senior Vice President Shigeki Ishizuka told reporters at a new factory for building battery devices in Motomiya, Fukushima Prefecture.

The company will also consider developing batteries for gasoline-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, Ishizuka said.

The Japanese electronics maker is currently developing a lithium-ion battery with a long life that is resistant to deterioration even when recharged repeatedly.

Ishizuka visited the factory of subsidiary Sony Energy Devices Corp. on the day the company unveiled a new plant building there to manufacture electrodes for lithium-ion batteries to be used in such products as electrical power tools.

Nissan and 4R Energy Develop new Solar EV Charging System

Nissan and 4R Energy Corporation today announced that the two companies have developed a charging system for electric vehicles that combines a solar power generation system with high-capacity lithium-ion batteries. Testing of this new charging system began today at Nissan's Global Headquarters in Yokohama.

With the new charging system, electricity is generated through solar cells installed at Nissan's Global Headquarters, and is stored in lithium-ion batteries which are equivalent to four units of Nissan LEAFs. With seven charging stations (three quick charge, four normal charge) located in the headquarter grounds, the total electricity that can be generated and stored is the equivalent to fully charging approximately 1,800 Nissan LEAFs annually.

This new system will enable electric vehicles, which do not emit any CO2 when driven, to be charged through a completely renewable energy source. This is one solution to create a cycle where CO2 emissions resulting from driving is zero. By using the same lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles as stationary storage batteries, electricity can also be supplied to EVs regardless of the time of day or weather, enabling efficient use of renewable energy sources.

4R Energy Corporation, a joint venture established by Nissan and Sumitomo Corporation in September 2010, has already started tests on a compact electricity storage system installed with second-life lithium ion batteries previously used in Nissan LEAFs. Based on the outcome of this larger system, 4R Energy plans to enter the market of mid-sized electricity storage systems for commercial and public facilities.

Nissan and 4R Energy Corporation will continue various efforts to help move toward a sustainable, zero-emission society.
Demonstration test outline Solar cell: Maximum power output: 40kW (Solar Frontier)
Power conditioner: Rated power output: 40kW (10kW×4)
(Sanyo Denki Co., Ltd.)
Storage battery capacity: 96kWh (Automotive Energy Supply Corporation)
Grid management unit: Rated power output: 200kW
(Sanyo Denki Co., Ltd.)
EV charging equipment: Quick charger: 3 (50kW×3)
Regular charger:4 (3.3kW×14)
Outline of 4R Energy Corporation President: Takashi Sakagami
Company Address: Queen's Tower C 12F, 2-3-5, Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama City
Capital: 450 million yen
Date of Establishment: September 14, 2010
Stakeholders: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (51%)
Sumitomo Corporation (49%)
Business Description: Demonstration tests and commercialization study for the second-life use of lithium-ion batteries previously used in EVs

Toshiba SCiB to be used in i-MiEV, recharge to 80% in just 15 mins

Toshiba Corporation today announced that its SCiB™ (Super Charge ion Battery) battery has been selected by Mitsubishi Motors Corporation to power two new models of electric vehicles (EV), the i-MiEV and MINICAB-MiEV. The SCiB™ is Toshiba's breakthrough rechargeable lithium-ion battery that combines high levels of safety with a long life, rapid charging and excellent charging and output at very low temperatures, characteristics that make it highly suited to application in EV.

Toshiba developed the SCiB™ to meet a series of demanding performance and safety criteria. By successfully employing lithium titanate oxide in the anode, Toshiba has assured that the SCiB™ offers high level operating safety, a long life and rapid charging. The use of lithium titanate oxide also significantly reduces the possibility of a puncture in the separator between the anode and cathode, so minimizing the risk of them coming contact into and short circuiting, and maintains battery performance levels even in severe operating conditions, including very low temperatures.

The SCiB™ pushes the life of the lithium-ion battery to a new level by supporting 2.5 times more charge/discharge cycles than a typical lithium-ion battery. Recharging is also notably better. Charged with the highest current available with CHAdeMO*1, widely seen as the emerging standard for fast charging EV, an SCiB™ reaches about 80 percent of full capacity in some 15 minutes, about 50% in 10 minutes and about 25% in 5 minutes*2 – half the times of a typical lithium-ion battery charged under the same conditions. The SCiB™ also generates little heat while recharging, eliminating the need for power to cool the battery module.

Most important of all for real-world application, the SCiB™ delivers high level performance. The SCiB™ offers a higher effective capacity than a typical lithium-ion battery, in that more of the stored charge can be used safely before recharging the battery. This, combined with highly efficient regenerative charging during braking or coasting downhill, allows the SCiB™ to deliver 1.7 times the driving distance per level of charge of a typical lithium-ion battery. This will allow for installation of smaller battery modules in vehicles and contribute to lower EV prices. The SCiB™ also offers high level performance in a wide range of temperatures, and continues to support rapid charging and excellent power output at temperatures as low as -30ºC.

The SCiB™ for Mitsubishi's new EV will be manufactured at Toshiba's Kashiwazaki Operations in Niigata prefecture, northwest Japan, a new facility dedicated to production of SCiB™ that came on line in February this year. Toshiba will seek to establish a plant operating structure able to respond quickly to market growth as the basis for expanding the SCiB™ business for EV, including hybrid and plug-in hybrid EVs.

As the automotive industry responds to concerns about global warming by developing a new generation of environmentally friendly EV, Toshiba is promoting advances in essential automotive technologies, from dedicated on-board control systems to batteries and Intelligent Traffic Systems. In automotive-related power electronics technologies, Toshiba is targeting net sales of 800 billion yen by fiscal year 2015 from its concentration on motors, inverters and SCiB™.

Toshiba will continue to promote sales of the SCiB™ in a global market for lithium-ion batteries that is expected to record sales of some 1 trillion*3 yen in fiscal year 2015.

*1 The CHAdeMo Association is promoting a global standard for fast charging of EV.
*2 For a battery with a capacity 10kWh.

Top Gear Eco Special (Spoof) [video]

In answer to Top Gear's childish antics when it comes to anything that Plugs-In, a group of friends from London have produced a spoof video of the up coming Nissan Leaf / Peugeot Ion episode.

For all the multi millions in the BBC's Top Gear budget, the production values of this camcorder spoof look surprisingly similar to the real thing!

Johnson Controls Moves to Dissolve Battery Joint Venture With Saft

Despite the company recently announcing a deal to supply the Beijing Electric Vehicle Company, Johnson Controls today took legal action in the Delaware Chancery Court to dissolve the Johnson Controls-Saft joint venture. The joint venture was formed in 2006 to develop and manufacture lithium-ion motive battery solutions.

"Johnson Controls and Saft have a fundamental disagreement about the future direction and appropriate scope of the joint venture," said Alex Molinaroli, president, Johnson Controls Power Solutions. "The industry is evolving rapidly and the investments needed to achieve market leadership require us to do more than the joint venture has done or can do."

Johnson Controls believes that as vehicle power train technologies continue to evolve and new markets emerge for advanced batteries, the company must have access to multiple alternative technologies and be able to flexibly participate more broadly across the energy storage space.

"This action reaffirms our strategic commitment to the advanced battery industry," said Molinaroli.

Today's filing does not affect Johnson Controls-Saft's current contracts, production orders or program launches.

"We are confident we will continue to provide our customers with quality products that meet and exceed their needs. Our commitment to our customers and this market is not changed. All of this activity reflects our long-term commitment to be a leader in the advanced battery space," said Molinaroli.

BYD Announces EV Fleet Results at Anniversary of Green-Taxi Project

Today marks the one year anniversary of the world’s largest all-electric vehicle Taxi fleet, manufactured by BYD. In conjunction with this anniversary, BYD announced results of several of its electric vehicle pilots – the F3DM, e6 and eBUS-12 which are in fleet testing across the world. Fifty of BYD’s e6, five-seat crossover vehicles, each with a range of over 160 miles (up to 300 Km) and a top speed of 88 mph (140km/h), have been in service at Shenzhen-based Pengcheng Electric Taxi Company since April 29, 2010.

The Shenzhen e6 Taxi fleet has now accumulated ~1,730,000 all-electric miles (or 2.77 million kilometers). The distance traveled for single fleet vehicles has reached ~63,000 miles each (>100,000 km). “This fleet of 50 e6 taxis has survived the very harsh operating conditions of hot Shenzhen summers and a very cold winter this year, and drivers and passengers alike have been extremely satisfied with their ride experience,” according to Stella Li, Senior Vice President. 250 more eTaxis are being delivered to the International University in Shenzhen before August this year. According to collected data, the per-car-fuel-savings is over $1167 per-Taxi-per-month (driving an average of 400Km per day). BYD’s all-electric Taxis are expected to help Shenzhen avoid about 133 lbs (or 60.4Kg) of carbon-dioxide pollution per day per Taxi. This is an equivalent of 2,425,060 lbs (or 1.1M kg) of carbon-dioxide pollution saved by this fleet in the first year.

The most important finding in the e6 fleet testing was that there has been no noticeable energy drop – both driving range and battery performance has been stable in rapid-charging conditions over the 1.73M miles tested – a breakthrough in EV rapid-charging. BYD has been challenged by the media about its claims of long-range electric vehicles and superior battery longevity in rapid-charging regimes since launching its first dual-mode, electric and plug-in-hybrid electric vehicles in December 2008. With the results of the e6 fleet, which was continuously rapid charged in 20- 30 minutes, BYD now has a proven track record for its Iron-Phosphate battery technology. The data is there to show vehicle charging efficiencies, consumption efficiencies, and EV ranges over time-- all with rapid-charging regimes.

BYD also reported on its F3DM fleet which BYD launched in its first US tests at the Housing Authority of Los Angeles (HACLA). The F3DM can travel over 40 miles all-electric but can be engaged to act as a Hybrid-Electric (HEV) to extend its range up to 300 miles. The HACLA fleet has now accumulated ~10,430 miles all-electric and 14,430 total miles (4,000 fuel-driven miles when extended range was necessary). The fleet is achieving an equivalent of 88 mpg and BYD estimates the per-car-savings---even netting out EV charging and electricity costs-- is ~70%. BYD’s dual-mode cars are expected to save HACLA about 37 lbs of carbon-dioxide per-day-per-auto when driven to the EV range.

In China, BYD launched an all-electric bus fleet with the eBUS-12 (click for video link) in Shenzhen and Changsha, China in January 2011. These fleets have already accumulated 28,802 all-electric miles (46,380 Km) while undergoing a 3-hour-charge of the 324 Kwh FE battery. An example of the per-eBUS-savings for Shenzhen’s Bus Line 202 (driving only 200Km per day) is about $2833 monthly per eBUS. 300 more buses will be delivered to Shenzhen in August of this year. BYD’s all-electric eBUSes save about 708 lbs (or 322Kg) in carbon-dioxide emissions per eBUS per day.

In total, BYD EVs have accumulated over 1.769 million all-electric miles and have seen no diminished range or capacity due to rapid-charging. BYD vehicles are estimated to have already saved $360,000 in fuel costs and over 2.776 million lbs of carbon-dioxide. BYD launched consumer sales of the F3DM in September 2010 and anticipates very good demand for the BYD e6 and all electric vehicles in China, fueled in part by government incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles. “Consumers that purchase pure electric vehicles will also enjoy the special privilege of "license-plate-lottery-free, no traffic restrictions and tax-free exemptions (paid by the government)."

Toyota and WiTricity Form Wireless Battery-charging Alliance

Toyota has entered into a technological collaboration agreement with Massachusetts, United States based WiTricity Corporation* concerning the practical application of automotive wireless charging systems and the promotion of their widespread use. TMC plans to participate in a WiTricity capital increase.

WiTricity's charging technology uses resonance, which allows charging without direct contact and is more efficient than electromagnetic-induction, another wireless technology—but one that requires contact—that is starting to come of age in mobile phone and other chargers. TMC believes that resonance wireless charging is suitable for automobiles and aims for its early practical use.

The collaboration is aimed to accelerate development and eventual implementation of wireless charging for automobiles. The charging of a plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle could be as simple and convenient as parking near an embedded charger at a home or in a parking facility.

In the Toyota Global Vision announced in March, TMC expressed its commitment to leading the way to the future of mobility by integrating automobiles, homes and information technology. Wireless charging is just one of the many technologies TMC seeks to develop for the future.

WiTricity

Johnson Controls-Saft to supply batteries for China electric vehicles

Johnson Controls-Saft have announced that they will supply the complete battery system for two electric vehicles which will be launched by the Beijing Electric Vehicle Company (BJEV), a subsidiary of Beijing Automotive Industry Company (BAIC). BJEV and BAIC have plans to manufacture 150,000 hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by 2015.

"The electric vehicle market in China represents a tremendous growth opportunity for the automotive industry," said Ray Shemanski, who leads the Johnson Controls-Saft joint venture and is vice president and general manager of Advanced Battery Systems for Johnson Controls Power Solutions. "While this electric battery system is the first China-specific product designed and developed by our advanced battery team in China, it leverages our proven technology currently in production in Europe and the United States, and indicates the potential of a quickly growing China market."

The Johnson Controls-Saft electric battery system will power the C30 and M30 electric vehicles, which are initially launching in an evaluation fleet of 2,000 units beginning later this year. The C30 is a A0 segment subcompact hatchback while the M30 is a small cross-over vehicle based on the same platform. Both vehicles have been adapted with an electric powertrain by BEVC.

"This fleet will provide critical and early customer usage and feedback information to support full product launch to consumers in 2012," said Dr. Dazong Wang, - the President of BAIC. "We look forward to working with Johnson Controls-Saft and other key component suppliers to meet our goal of producing 150,000 HEVs and BEVs vehicles by 2015."

The C30 and M30 can travel more than 100 kilometers on a single charge. Johnson Controls-Saft is supplying the complete battery system, which consists of 106 prismatic lithium-ion cells, the battery management system and integrated battery package to accommodate the existing vehicle platform.

LG Chem Look to Dominate EV Battery Market

LG Corp. doesn't do things small. The company is the world's largest maker of LED monitors and the second-biggest manufacturer of liquid-crystal display (LCD) televisions. It also is the second largest manufacturer of mobile phones and front-loading washing machines sold in the U.S. Now, the 64-year-old South Korean conglomerate is taking aim at the top spot of the fragmented electric-vehicle battery market, where the competition includes fellow South Korean conglomerate Samsung, Japan's Panasonic and relative start-ups like A123 Systems and the automakers themselves.

The company’s LG Chem division last week opened what it said is the world's largest electric-vehicle battery-making plant in Ochang, South Korea. The factory will produce enough lithium-ion batteries for 100,000 electric-drive vehicles, according to Bloomberg News. LG Chem, which makes batteries for a number of electric-drive vehicles including General Motors’ Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid-electric (PHEV), is looking to boost annual revenue from EV batteries to 4 trillion won ($3.67 billion) by 2015, when the company expects to have 25 percent of the worldwide EV-battery market. With another South Korean plant and a U.S. factory scheduled to open by the end of next year, LG Chem will be able to produce enough batteries for 350,000 vehicles by 2013, according to Bloomberg.

"They’re definitely the mover and the shaker right now in the lithium-ion battery market," said John Gartner, senior analyst at Pike Research. "They have strong relationships with GM, Ford and Hyundai, and their technology is viewed as being very stable, safe, and reliable, so it’s not out of the questions that they could reach that goal."

LG's strategy may be a sound one, given electric-drive vehicle projections. Last year, Pike estimated that global sales of PHEVs and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) will surge to more than 1 million units in 2015 from less than 250,000 this year. That said, consolidation isn't guaranteed in an EV-battery market where technology continues to rapidly evolve. For instance, last month, the U.S. Energy Department and an automaker group that includes GM, Ford and Chrysler awarded lithium-ion battery-maker A123 Systems a contract worth $8 million to further develop so-called nanophosphate systems that will produce lighter, cheaper and more powerful batteries for plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles. "It’s a little premature for anyone to be beating their chest unless they have a real corner on the technology," said Philip Gott, managing director at IHS Automotive. "Even GM's hedging its bets."

Additionally, the global lithium-ion battery market will always be bifurcated because automakers such as Toyota and Nissan are almost guaranteed to stay with fellow Japanese companies like Panasonic and GS Yuasa when it comes to battery supply, said both Gartner and Gott. Finally, some automakers are looking to make electric-drive powertrain components themselves in order to gain better cost and operations controls as production of alternative-fueled vehicles expands. Daimler AG and Evonik in 2008 formed a battery-making joint venture that starting next year will supply lithium-ion batteries for Daimler’s Smart Fortwo ED BEV.

Still, LG appears to have the resources and agreements with automakers to take the lead. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2010, LG Chem’s net income rose 34 percent from a year earlier to 1.76 trillion won ($1.62 billion) as revenue increased 26 percent to 14.5 trillion won ($13.3 billion). The company was tapped by GM early in 2009 to make battries for the Volt and later that year said it would invest $300 million in a Michigan lithium-ion battery plant that would be opened by 2012. LG Chem also agreed to start a battery-making joint venture with South Korean automaker Hyundai in 2009. And Ford chose LG Chem unit Compact Power to make battery packs for the 2011 Ford Focus Electric.

Regardless of who takes what market share, LG Chem’s investments are likely to help push down the costs of EV batteries and shorten the amount of time it will take for electric-drive vehicles to become cost-competitive with their internal combustion engine counterparts. IHS’s Gott estimated that battery costs could drop by as much as 50 percent by the end of the decade while internal combustion engine costs rise as automakers stretch for better fuel efficiency to meet progressively more stringent federal greenhouse-gas emissions requirements. Pike’s Gartner was even more optimistic, estimating that lithium-ion battery costs will fall by as much as 10 percent a year. “LG will contribute to that, as will other companies that are starting to build to scale,” said Gartner.

Nissan lithium ion battery plant in Portugal on track for 2012 production

Japanese automaker Nissan is in the process of constructing an advanced lithium-ion battery plant in Cacia, Portugal in alliance with European automaker Renault that is on track to start production late next year.

Nissan spokesperson Mia Nielsen told NewNet that Nissan’s longstanding plan for its electric vehicle roll-out has always been to produce its own lithium ion batteries. The upcoming plant is expected to provide batteries for the Leaf, although Nielson said Nissan has not yet fully settled on which electric vehicles it will support.

She said, ‘We expect to start production at the end of 2012, which will produce lithium ion batteries for Renault and Nissan. We haven’t specified which cars they will go into, but will be producing a whole range of EV cars in the future.

‘From the start we’ve always wanted to manufacture the batteries and own that part of the business. We wanted this to be part of our business so we have more control over quality and supply.’

The lithium ion battery plant, which was built alongside Renault’s existing gearbox plant north of Lisbon, involved a €156m investment and is expected to create 200 jobs.

The Cacia plant will be one of three facilities in Europe supplying batteries to electric vehicles produced by the Nissan-Renault alliance. Nissan started producing lithium ion batteries through a joint venture with Japanese manufacturer NEC in advance of launching the Leaf family electric car late last year.

Last April, Nissan began construction of a battery plant in the UK, which is expected to start operations in early 2012 with an annual capacity of 60,000 units. Renault also has a battery plant in Flins, France that is expected to have a total production capacity of 100,000 units a year.

Nissan has a long history of producing lithium ion batteries, having started developing them in 1992. It was also one of the first mainstream automakers such as Ford to produce electric vehicles back in 1943.

‘Oil was much cheaper back then and the batteries were very heavy. The range meant they didn’t go very far,’ said Nielson.

‘We have had a breakthrough in the technology allowing Nissan’s lithium ion battery to be put into mass production. We’ve had the size of the battery reduced and made more compact and also made it more powerful half the size of the previous generation.’

The flat lithium ion batteries Nissan will produce will fit in the floor a normal sized car such as the five-seater Nissan Leaf. For Nissan, producing its own flat batteries is an advantage as some lithium ion versions are cylindrical.

Nielson said that Nissan is targeting both fleet and private customers with its electric vehicles, and is already leasing vehicles through a deal with Leaseplan.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance aims to be a global leader in zero-emission mobility and to have the capacity to produce 500,000 electric vehicles together with batteries by 2015. In 2008, Portugal became the first country in Europe to partner with the Alliance for zero-emission mobility. The country is building an extensive network of charging stations and expects to have installed 1,350 charging units across the country later this year.

Delphi Showcases Innovative Wireless EV Charging

Delphi Automotive has equipped an electric vehicle with its Delphi Wireless Charging System, a highly efficient wireless energy transfer system featuring technology developed by WiTricity Corporation. Delphi will display the test vehicle at this year's SAE World Congress this week.

"This is a significant advancement in our research and development efforts to offer automotive manufacturers a practical wireless charging solution we believe is superior to others being proposed," said Randy Sumner, director, global hybrid vehicle development, Delphi Packard Electrical/Electronic Architecture. According to Sumner, engineers at Delphi's Customer Technical Center in Champion, Ohio, have installed the Delphi Wireless Charging System on an all-electric THINK City test vehicle, and have confirmed that system performance meets automotive market requirements.

A wireless charging system eliminates the need for a charging cord. Drivers can simply park their electric vehicle over a wireless energy source situated on the garage floor or embedded in a paved parking spot. Other wireless charging systems under development make use of traditional inductive charging, the same technology used in electric toothbrushes, which is based on principles first proposed in the mid-nineteenth century. These systems only work over a limited distance range, require precise accurate parking alignment and can be very large and heavy, making them impractical for widespread use on electric vehicles.

"The Delphi Wireless Charging System offers more practical and flexible installation than traditional inductive systems because it uses highly resonant magnetic coupling, a modern technology that safely and efficiently transfers power over significantly larger distances and can adapt to natural misalignment often associated with vehicle positioning during parking," Sumner said. This means that Delphi charging sources can be buried in pavement, are unaffected by environmental factors such as snow, ice or rain, can accommodate a wide range of vehicle shapes and sizes and their differing ground clearances. The Delphi system is also more forgiving to vehicle parking positions on top of the charger without requiring any moving parts to accommodate. The system transfers energy using an oscillating magnetic field, which is intrinsically safe for humans and animals.

According to Sumner, the system will automatically transfer power to the electric vehicle's battery pack at a rate of 3,300 watts -- the same rate as most residential plug-in chargers -- and is able to do so with the smallest and lightest modules possible. These components are important to minimizing overall vehicle weight and cost while maximizing the driving range of EVs, a critical selling point for automakers.

"We are excited by our testing and validation of the system and believe we have a valuable and unique wireless charging solution that offers the most potential for widespread use in the automotive market. With the support of automotive manufacturers, this technology can be integrated into the next generation of electric vehicles," Sumner said.

Wireless charging technology will need to co-exist with plug-in charging solutions, he added, so that electric vehicle drivers have the ability to charge their vehicle when they are away from their wireless charging source.

Delphi also makes a Portable Electric Vehicle Charger that fits conveniently in the trunk of an electric vehicle. The user-friendly, UL-listed charging system plugs into any standard 120-volt outlet to enable safe electric vehicle battery charging at home or away. The charging unit can also be integrated into stationary charging applications.

Maxwell Technologies Doubles Ultracapacitor Production Capacity

Maxwell Technologies reported today that it has more than doubled production capacity for ultracapacitor electrode, cells and modules over the past year, and is moving forward with additional capacity expansion to satisfy rapidly increasing demand for its ultracapacitor products.

"The company has produced more than 15 million cells of all types since setting up initial high-volume production," said David Schramm, Maxwell's president and chief executive officer. "With ultracapacitor sales having grown by more than 50 percent in each of the past two years and our expectation for continuing rapid growth going forward, we need to make sure we stay a step ahead of demand."

Working with a contract assembly partner, the Company brought on line a new assembly line for its redesigned, high-volume, 350-farad "D-cell" ultracapacitor in the third quarter of 2010. Before moving D cell assembly, Maxwell had produced approximately 7 million D cells, mainly for wind turbine blade pitch mechanisms, at its Swiss production facility.

In collaboration with another contract assembly partner, the company recently completed installation of a second assembly line for its K-2 family of large cell products, and a third line is scheduled to be installed later this year. Maxwell produced its 2-millionth 3,000-farad large cell in January, and expects to deliver a third million by the end of this year. Large cells have been used mainly in hybrid transit buses for regenerative braking and torque assist, and the company is now supplying a 1,200-farad large cell to Continental AG, a global Tier 1 auto parts supplier, for a stop-start idle elimination system introduced last fall by PSA Peugeot Citroen.

A third contract manufacturer assembles Maxwell's HC family of small cell products, which range from one to 150 farads, and are used mainly in industrial electronics applications.
In December 2009, the company announced that it was expanding production capacity for its postage stamp-size, 10-farad PC-10 ultracapacitor cell to satisfy rapidly increasing demand generated by a new backup power application in solid state disk drives for enterprise computing systems. Previously, Maxwell had delivered several million PC-10s to power wireless transmitters in automated electric utility meters and other devices.

The proprietary electrode material used in all BOOSTCAP cell types is produced only in the company's San Diego facility. Electrode capacity has been doubled over the past 12 months and will be re-doubled by mid-2012. The company also is evaluating proposals from economic development agencies in several adjacent states for location of a second electrode facility it plans to outfit and bring online in the second half of 2012.

Unlike batteries, which produce and store energy by means of a chemical reaction, Maxwell's ultracapacitor products store energy in an electric field. This electrostatic energy storage mechanism enables ultracapacitors to charge and discharge in as little as fractions of a second, perform normally over a broad temperature range (-40 to +65C), operate reliably through one million or more charge/discharge cycles and resist shock and vibration. Maxwell offers ultracapacitor cells ranging in capacitance from one to 3,000 farads and multi-cell modules ranging from 16 to 125 volts.

Samsung-Bosch Venture to Invest in Car-Battery Plants

SB LiMotive Co., a 50-50 joint venture between South Korea's Samsung SDI Co. and Germany's Robert Bosch GmbH, will invest $500 million by 2013 to add one or two more car-battery production lines in Korea.

Samsung SDI may also expand its production facilities beyond Asia to regions including Europe to meet increasing demand for batteries used for electric automobiles, a company spokesman said Tuesday.

In September 2009, Samsung SDI flagged its intention to invest as much as 500 billion won ($460 million) from 2011 through 2015 in facilities to produce batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles.

Samsung SDI—an affiliate of South Korea's biggest conglomerate Samsung Group—and the world's largest lithium-ion polymer car battery maker by sales, LG Chem Ltd., are both seeking to gain a greater share of the global automotive-battery market.

"Samsung announced earlier this year that it will push the electric car battery business as one of its new growth drivers and we see a lot of growth potential in this market, as demand for electric cars will continue to increase more and more as time goes by," a company spokesman said.

The joint venture currently produces 50,000 units of rechargeable batteries for cars a month but it plans to boost its monthly production capacity to as much as 400,000 units within the next three years, the company spokesman said.

Last week, Samsung SDI and LG Chem announced that they will increase investment in their battery businesses, as the South Korean companies seek to capitalize on fast-growing demand for rechargeable batteries used in consumer electronics and automobiles.

Samsung SDI currently supplies lithium-ion batteries to global car manufacturers, including BMW AG and Chrysler Group LLC of the U.S., while LG Chem has 10 customers for its lithium-ion polymer batteries, including General Motors, Ford Motor, Renault, Hyundai Motor and China's Chana.

Texas to get electric car fast charging networks

The oil state better known for Chevy Suburbans will soon have a network of 70 electric vehicle charging stations installed in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area and another 50 in the Houston area by the end of next year.

NRG Energy Inc said in a statement Friday that half of the privately funded charging stations should be in place by Labor Day. NRG planned to unveil the first of the charging stations later in the day at a Walgreen's Drug Store in Dallas.

NRG also plans to install stations along the Interstate 45 corridor in Texas next year.

The first "Freedom Station" recharger will have a 480-volt direct current fast charger that can add 30 miles of range to an electric car in as little as 10 minutes, and a 240-volt charger that can add up to 25 miles in an hour, the company said in a statement. Freedom Stations will be available 24 hours a day and include a tower with a camera that gives users access to customer service.

The network also will include "Convenience Stations" that have 240-volt chargers that will be available during the host retail business' operating hours, NRG said.

NRG said it will charge users a flat monthly fee for charging plans. The company's complete plan costs $89 per month and covers the home charger, unlimited access to the charging network for free, and the cost of electricity to charge the car at home during off-peak hours. It also will offer a 240-volt home charger for $49 per month.

"Inaugurating the first Freedom Station in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is a critical first step toward making electric vehicles the smart and convenient choice for Texans who want to reduce their cost of driving while contributing to cleaner air and America's energy independence," NRG President and CEO David Crane said in a statement.

Crane said the company was taking a page from Southwest Airlines when it started 40 years ago linking the major metro areas in Texas. Eventually electric car drivers will be able to use the system to drive through the region with confidence that they won't run out of electricity, the company said.

Princeton, N.J.-based NRG Energy owns and develops power plants to sell electricity in the wholesale market.

Nissan Motor Co. and General Motors Co. recently have rolled out rechargeable battery-powered cars in the U.S., with several other automakers scheduled to bring out models this year. Through the end of March, GM sold 1,210 Chevrolet Volts, while Nissan sold 452 Leaf electric cars.

DBM Lithium Metal Polymer battery undergoing testing @ BAM [video]

We reported last week on results of the Lithium Metal Polymer battery developed by DBM Energy having passed extensive safety and independent range checks performed by the BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Dekra.

Technical details are somewhat lost in translation but DBM claim 5000 cycles to end of life with an energy density of 300 Wh/kg having been mentioned for these cells.

The video is narrated in German but English caption can be viewed by clicking on the 'CC' button below the video.

DBM Energy