A123 Battery Systems to Power eStar All-Electric Truck for Navistar-Modec Alliance
A123 Systems, a developer and manufacturer of advanced Nanophosphate lithium-ion batteries and systems, today announced a production agreement with Navistar to supply lithium-ion battery systems for electric vehicles for the Navistar-Modec EV Alliance, a joint venture between Navistar and Modec Limited of the U.K.
According to the supply agreement, which builds upon an earlier development agreement that was announced in March, A123 will manufacture battery systems for Navistar's eStar electric delivery vehicle at its Livonia, Michigan, facility.
A number of vehicles have already been shipped to Federal Express as part of the earlier development agreement. The work is partially paid for by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, administered by the U.S. Department of Energy.
Rather than converting an existing, conventional fossil-fuel powered truck, Navistar's eStar truck is a commercial electric vehicle that is purpose-built to be electric. With zero tailpipe emissions, the Navistar EV can potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 10 tons annually, when compared to an equivalent diesel-powered vehicle, the company says.
The Navistar electric vehicle has a gross vehicle weight rating of 12,100 pounds and a payload capacity of two tons. The vehicle will be assembled in Wakarusa, Indiana, and is scheduled for launch in mid-2010.
A123's battery pack will enable the Navistar electric vehicle to travel a distance of approximately 100 miles on pure electricity before needing to be recharged. The battery pack will be capable of a rapid charge rate and will have a charge time dependent on the power of the charging system applied.
