Hybrid Cars Get a Lithium Boost

Electric and hybrid cars got a much-needed energy jolt today, when Johnson Controls-Saft announced the opening of its new lithium-ion automotive battery manufacturing facility in Nersac, France.

The plant will manufacture advanced lithium-ion batteries for hybrid, plug-in, fuel cell and electric vehicles, and has been built to scale up as demand increases. Lithium ion batteries have been used in consumer electronics since 1991, when Sony commercialized the first battery, but they got off to a rocky start in the car biz: the first generation of batteries used metal oxide in the terminals, which prompted safety recalls from overheating and catching fire.

Due to their high energy density, however, lithium ion batteries are becoming more popular for defense, automotive, and aerospace applications. Compared to the nickel metal hydride batteries used in today's gas-electric hybrids, lithium ion batteries have much better energy potential, which should reduce the cost and increase the fuel efficiency of hybrid vehicles. Using lithium ion batteries, a plug-in hybrid would be able to travel for up to 50 miles on a single charge.

A ready supply of lithium ion batteries is seen as an important next step for the success of hybrid vehicles. Israel announced a plan this week to establish a nationwide grid for electric cars by 2011, and lithium ion batteries will be a critical component of that network. NEC and Nissan created the Automotive Energy Supply Corporation in 2007 to focus on the development and marketing of advanced lithium-ion batteries, and are expected to have products in mass production later this year.

There are many advantages to lithium ion batteries, but there are also lingering questions. Aging is one concern, as some capacity deterioration is noticeable after one year, whether the battery is in use or not. But manufacturers are rapidly improving lithium-ion technology, and as new chemical combinations are introduced, the prospects for a safe, efficient hybrid car battery look bright.