Tag Archives for BatteryProduction
Is the advanced battery market already too crowded?
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Daily
It seems like not a day goes by that we don’t hear about some battery company expanding its operation by opening more plants to produce hundreds of thousands of advanced batteries. In the last year alone, we heard reports like this from LG Chem, Johnson Control-Saft, EnerDel, A123 Systems, Nissan, Ford and more. So, if every company is expanding battery production at record rates while few electric cars exist on the roadways, where are all of these batteries going? For now, the simple answer is, nowhere, really.
Most of the companies listed above will begin to slowly ramp up battery production over the next two years. As all of the companies reach full capacity, says Ward’s Dave Zoia, chances are high that there will be way too many batteries and not enough electric vehicles (EVs) to use them. The battery producers’ thought process is quite simple: get ahead of the competition as soon as possible because the EV market is about to explode. But if we think about it for a moment and wonder what would happen if EVs don’t take off, the result would be disastrous. With billions invested into the industry and companies devoting everything they’ve got into EV battery production, a failing EV market would have a profound impact felt everywhere. If this disaster occurs, where would we place the blame? On the governments, of course. After all, they are the ones that dished out billions to convince battery makers to venture into this uncertain, unproven market, right?
Photos by Sebastian Blanco / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Ward's Auto]
Is the advanced battery market already too crowded? originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Magna International invests $400-600 million in battery production
Filed under: EV/Plug-in
Magna International has decided that it will invest between $400 million and $600 million in lithium ion battery production over the next three years. The Canadian auto parts supplier will build two production facilities, one in Europe and one in North America, to supply the battery packs for future plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles.
Magna has set up a partnership with South Korean battery maker Kokam to share technology and has also purchased a 13 percent stake in Lithium Americas Corp. That latter deal will allow Magna to purchase up to 25 percent of the lithium produced by that company at a five percent discount from market prices.
Magna is currently working with Ford on development and production of the 2012 Focus Electric. In Europe, the supplier has contracts with Daimler and with the powertrain division of the Volvo truck business for plug-in development.
Gallery: ABG Quick Drive: Ford Focus EV mule
[Source: Globe and Mail]
Magna International invests $400-600 million in battery production originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Fri, 28 May 2010 12:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
