A123 Systems Wants to Mass Produce Li-Ion Batteries in USA
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada 
on 01. 7.09
Electric Car Batteries Made in the USA?
A123Systems has announced today that is has applied under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program to qualify for $1.84 billion in loans. The goal? Built lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities in the United States, with the first construction location in southeast Michigan near Detroit. Read on for more.
14,000 Jobs, 5 Million Hybrids or 500,000 Electric Cars
According to its press release: "At full operation, A123 expects the combined plants [if the loan is approved] would occupy as much as 7 million square feet and create over 14,000 jobs." They could supply batteries to 5 million hybrid cars or 500,000 battery electric cars (simple math tells us that there's about 10 times more battery cells in an EV than a hybrid).
From the Detroit Free Press:
President-elect Barack Obama and key members of his administration have pointed to plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles as one of the technologies they want to see automakers press for to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
That's a good sign, but we'll have to wait and see what the DOE decides.
Via A123Systems
Photo: Porter Gifford
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That would be awesome. New technology, better rechargeable batteries, "Made in America". That all sounds fantastic. Don't hold your breath.
And, is that not the most generic name a company ever had? I read the explanation on their website about the origin, but really, if you need to explain the name of your company it just ain't working.
"And, is that not the most generic name a company ever had?"
Must be in the top 5.
Detroit could really use the jobs, but since these are mainly intended for hybrid vehicles not sure how the big slump in the auto industry will play out for this.
can anyone tell me what is the use of A123
i think it will replace gasollin in a vehicle, i'm i correct
This is good news for the US... which is behind in the evolution of energy storage .
A123 was passed up by GM a few months ago for LGChem a Korean firm to provide the Volt batteries--- but GE has put money into the startup.
I still think that batteries (and plugging in) are going to disappoint us - and that our best bet will be fuel cells as main system.
Garry G
Editor
TheEnergyRoadmap.com
And another thing...
Being form Boston where the "Blue Man Group" has been an institution for so many years, that promo photo for the battery makes it look like a prop for the show.
Yes, I know those are 'nitrile' gloves seen in many high-tech labs but as you may have heard, "you never get another chance to make a first impression".
Gary, Your commments is soooooooooo narrow minded.
- "I still think that batteries (and plugging in) are going to disappoint us - and that our best bet will be fuel cells as main system. "
THERE IS NOT ONE SOLUTION.
Please Go watch " Who Killed the Electric Car".
We will not have fuel cell vehicles for another 20 years at least. Not one is seriously developing them. And it is not even close to being economically feasible. 1. the cost of fuel cells are out of site. 2. We have no hydrogen infastructure. 3. Storage and transport of hydrogen is not yet safe.
I still think that fuel cells (and hydrogen production, transportation, refilling and the inherent inefficiencies in the cycle) are going to disappoint us - and that our best best will be non-hydrogen electric transportation as main systems.
I will be very happily surprised if this happens. Michigan,especially southern Michigan, has lost so many jobs due to GM cutbacks....
As a person who lost her job due to said cutbacks, I have to honestly wonder if the current state government can deal with actual prosperity or will they just irritate GM enough to pull MORE work out of Michigan....
You just don't know how much of a good thing GM passing them up truly is... I suspect A123 didn't want to be parked! There's good people there, dedicated to making the best batteries on Earth.
GM tried to crush nickel metal hydride for years by buying up Ovonics's orginal patent and pursuing Panasonic through the courts instead of making a genuine effort at producing a better product. GM/Chevron Cobasys NiMH are antiquated compared to what comes out of Asia.
Now maybe A123 will be free to step up their liquid chemistry into solid state, go back to the original MIT inventor who designed their original chemistry, and produce the next generation of li-ion.
There's a lot going on being the scenes here... If and when A123 can truly itself from the shackles imposed on them, and follow the lead of the Killacycle team... we're going to Rock & Roll.