EnerDel ready to power millions of American hybrids. Will US automakers be ready?
1.2 Million HEV battery packs per year by 2015EnerDel, has applied for $480 million in low-interest loans under the $25-billion Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Incentive Program, which is administered by the US Department of Energy.
If EnerDel receives the funding, the company plans to produce enough lithium battery packs to produce 600,000 hybrid vehicles per year by 2011. By 2015, that production would double to 1.2 million hybrid vehicles.
Sounds great, right?
Since batteries could be the key to the survival of the US auto industry, building profitable battery manufacturing capacity in the US is obviously vital. Yet, enough batteries for 600,000 hybrid vehicles by 2011?
Is that realistic?
200,000 hybrid vehicles per each of the Big 3, per year? Not one US automaker even seems close to such a number, especially at today's gas prices.
In the past, EnerDel has indicated that its battery packs could power 10 hybrid vehicles or 1 EV, so maybe that is where EnerDel is hedging their bets.
Nonetheless, if America wants to be a player in the battery-powered world of the future, isn't creating a serious, robust demand for battery powered vehicles in America the first step? Hence, isn't cheap gas a battery manufacturing killer?
Labels: Hybrid Vehicles, lithium battery
posted by Dahcredyns at
10:54 AM
3 Comments:
Low fuel prices is the ultimate test in fortitude for the Big 3....and how honest, willing, and able they are to look to the future.
Frankly, they have no fortitude and don't give a crap about the future as we should have it.
Indigo Incarnates
If gasoline stays below $2/gallon for 3-4 more months, GM will probably sell all the Volt patents to Chevron and then start cranking out Hummers again. Meanwhile, Toyota and Honda will have their third generation hybrids ready. For the next oil spike.
But don't worry: Uncle Sam will give the Detroit-3 plenty of our tax money so they won't have to innovate or compete.
I think new CAFE regs pretty much force GM to develop the Volt. They can actually use the Volt to help hedge the inefficiency of other more profitable vehicles. Plus, the tax credits and pork that will be available will help GM subsidize some development costs.
Starting in 2011, GM could sell 25,000 Volts per year. With an EPA rating of more than 100 mpg, each Volt will help bring many gas-guzzlers per Volt up to code while giving GM an incredible amount of green press possibilities. That's pretty much a win-win.
I know for a fact that GM has done fuel studies that indicate gas prices will be significantly higher in the future. They know the Volt and similar technologies will be required in the future. I think they would just like to delay that future as long as possible while slowly preparing for that future.
Where GM is really missing the boat, in my opinion, is cheap, small hybrids, such as the Prius and the new Insight.
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