Johnson Controls-Saft opens lithium battery plant for automobiles

Johnson batteries will power this Mercedes soon

Hybrid cars and plug-in hybrid vehicles hold great promise to those wanting to combat global warming and foreign oil dependency. Of course, there just aren't many lithium batteries being produced these days for use in automobiles, and that's a problem.

Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions has taken a small step towards addressing that issue by opening a new lithium battery plant in France as the company prepares to start making lithium batteries for automakers such as Mercedes. (more)

Vans, trucks and buses: The first phase of the plug-in revolution?

Dodge and Johnson Controls ready to test plug-in hybrid vehicles

When it comes to plug-in hybrid vehicles, it all comes down to the battery. Unfortunately, the lithium-ion batteries used in plug-in hybrid vehicles can be quite large - taking up valuable trunk space, etc.

Johnson Controls think they have a good near term solution for functional plug-in hybrid vehicles on which to test their lithium batteries. According to Johnson Controls, the Dodge Sprinter van is "an ideal vehicle to carry a large battery pack and still have ample room readily accessible for use as a delivery vehicle."

"Advanced battery technology is the single most important enabler in making all types of electric vehicles practical," says Mary Ann Wright, who leads the JCS joint venture and is vice president and general manager of Johnson Controls' hybrid battery business.. "Plug-in hybrids, conventional hybrids, electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will benefit from Lithium-ion technology. Johnson Controls-Saft is determined to deliver state-of-the-art batteries to power advanced, environmentally friendly vehicles."

Testing lithium technology on such vehicles provides not only a great testing environment for a plethora of real world driving conditions, it should also help perfect lithium chemistry until it can be squeezed into even the smallest hybrid cars and electric vehicles.

Sounds like a perfect fit for the U.S. Postal Service, Federal Express, school buses and on and on, let's hope the technology finds its way into these fleets as soon as possible.

Batteries: The key to the automotive Revolution? Part 1

President Bush at Johnson Controls

Just before the Detroit Auto Show, Toyota started hyping its FT-HS hybrid concept, a next-generation hybrid produced with lithium-ion batteries. As a result of these new batteries, Toyota was able to develop a hybrid sports car capable of achieving speeds of 0 -60 in less than 4 seconds, yet using the fuel of only a 4 cylinder economy car.

Likewise, GM announced the future was electric, plug-in hybrids were coming, and lithium-ion battery contracts had been awarded. Then at NAIAS GM upped the ante and debuted the Volt plug-in hybrid concept, an auto capable of achieving up to 40 miles per charge on pure electricity and up to 150 mpg if traveling 60 miles or less between charges. Additionally, the vehicle has a range of more than 600 miles.

In both cases, lithium-ion batteries enable each of these hybrid vehicles to achieve such amazing results. Consequently, batteries are beginning to emerge as one of the most important technologies behind the automotive revolution.

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