Johnson Controls – SAFT
Originally created on April 18 2008
[~Apr~~18~]
Solid State Energy? Ultracapacitors are once again in the news
We noted some months ago Maxwell Technologies collaborating with China’s leading Li-ion Tianjin Lishen Battery to combine the strengths of a double layer capacitor with a Li-ion battery. Now Market and technology leaders in battery technology Johnson Controls (Optima, Varta, etc) and SAFT (high end defense and space applications), after winning the Daimler hybrid supply contract and opening a dedicated plant in Nersac France, have announced a development collaboration through which Maxwell will produce lithium-ion battery electrodes for testing and evaluation by Johnson Controls-Saft.
The electrodes for Li-Ion battery applications will incorporate Maxwell’s proprietary process successfully demonstrated in ultracapacitor applications. The collaboration will demonstrate optimized performance while reducing energy consumption, solvent recovery and capital investment.
“Our goal is to develop break-through technology on electrode manufacturing to reduce the cost and environmental impact of advanced automotive batteries for hybrid vehicles,” said Mary Ann Wright, who leads the Johnson Controls-Saft joint venture and is vice president and general manager of Johnson Controls’ hybrid business. “Maxwell has developed a unique manufacturing process that we can leverage through our global leadership in the development and manufacture of lithium-ion automotive batteries.”
In effect we have gone from a battery versus ultracapacitor logic to merging their respective qualities. Consider, until EEStor proves the contrary, that ultracapacitors can only hold a fraction of the electrical charge that batteries can hold (research at MIT seeks to reach 25%) but that capacity can be totally drained with no memory effect, no loss in capacity and much faster charge-discharge times. On the other hand to prolong battery life less than 20% of a chemical battery’s capacity can be used. Combine an ultracapacitor with perhaps 25% of battery capacity but no restrictions on full discharge could actually provide more power and a longer range.
It appears that this is not a novel approach as the AFS Trinity’ “extreme hybrid” plug-in concept vehicle that uses ultracapacitors to boost battery life is expected to reach 150 miles per gallon (1.32 liters per 100km). The Bellevue, Wash.-based company sees ultracapacitors as a natural fit with new generation lithium-ion batteries that are vital to plug-in hybrids. Many companies like Maxwell Technologies, Panasonic, Nippon Chemi-Con, and others are working on advanced devices with attributes of both an ultracapacitor and a battery, as their ability to efficiently absorb energy from braking – and discharge it for acceleration, is justified by increasing energy costs – has anyone coined the phrase “solid state energy”
In our marine environment these developments are of great interest as mass production of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles combining Maxwell’s ultracapacitor technology would allow better capture of renewable energy from multiple sources such as regenerative sailing, solar and of course wind generation.
[~Feb~~2~]
Johnson Controls – SAFT joint venture to produce Li-ion in France
Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions is now competeing in Europe with Continental (assembling Li-ion batteries for Volkswagon but based on A123 technology) . The new factory in Nersac France will produce up to 5,000 battery packs a year for Daimler AG for use in the Mercedes-Benz S-class series of luxury hybrids due out as a 2010 model.
“This new contract is further proof of our joint venture’s progress in becoming a leading supplier of batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles,” said Mary Ann Wright, who heads the company’s joint venture with Saft, the French battery manufacturer.
Johnson Controls-Saft is a joint venture that has brought together Johnson Controls – the world’s leading supplier of automotive batteries and a company deeply experienced in integrated automotive systems solutions – with Saft, an advanced energy storage solutions provider with extensive Li-ion battery expertise The Joint venture has research and development centers in Milwaukee, USA and Bordeaux, France; as well as system engineering, testing and integration centers in Milwaukee, USA; Hanover, Germany; and Shanghai, China.
The Johnson Controls-Saft factory opened last month after an investment of 15 million euros ($22.2 million). The factory is part of a strategy by the world’s leading maker of lead-acid batteries to capitalize on growing interest in hybrid-electric vehicles with the leader in NiCad technology SAFT.
With engineering work taking place at a hybrid battery development laboratory that opened in 2005 in Glendale, the company announced last year that it is engaged in development work with multiple automakers for batteries for hybrid electric cars and plug-in vehicles, including the plug-in Saturn Vue under development by General Motors as well as making batteries for Dodge Sprinters that are being tested in Los Angeles and New York.
Beyond Europe and North America JC Inc. announced a production contract with Chinese automaker Chery for hybrid batteries. Another Chinese carmaker, SAIC, has also asked Johnson Controls to supply batteries for hybrids.
[~Jan~~18~]
China’ SAIC chooses Li-Ion from Johnson Controls & Saft JV
Johnson Controls-Saft, a joint venture of Johnson Controls and Saft Advanced Power Solutions, has been selected by Chinese carmaker Saic Motor Corp. Ltd. to supply lithium-ion batteries for its demonstration fleet of new energy vehicles.The demonstration fleet is being designed as a fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly urban transportation option for the People’s Republic of China. Under the terms of the contract, the battery systems will be produced in Milwaukee. The batteries will be in demonstration vehicles in early 2008.
Saft is a world specialist in the design and manufacture of high-tech batteries for industry, their batteries are used in high performance applications such as industrial infrastructure and processes, transportation, space and defence. Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls best known to the marine community for their OPTIMA range of batteries has 140,000 employees, and provides products and services used in vehicles, homes and commercial buildings.
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