A123Systems crafts long-lasting automotive Li-ion for electric cars

A123Systems most certainly won't go down as the first startup to crank out what could be the batteries that reside in our future electric vehicles, but it seems to be edging ever closer to landing a full-blown contract with General Motors. GM has already selected the Massachusetts-based company to "develop batteries that might be used for the Saturn Vue," and it is pondering the idea of awarding the battery maker a similar deal for the Volt. The firm is garnering a good bit of praise for its "long-lasting, safe rechargeable Li-ions" that could potentially power the all-electric / hybrid vehicles of the future, but rather than relying on "cobalt oxide, it used iron phosphate assembled in a novel, nano-structure." Interestingly, the outfit's current offerings started out with the idea of utilizing self-assembling cells, but after they proved "intractably hard to develop," the idea was scraped in favor of the less pricey Li-ion approach. Still, don't expect these guys to run the table on automotive contracts, as there's already quite a few formidable opponents on the loose.

[bloodangel @ Mar 12th 2007 2:29AM]

Gotta love the asian guy whose trying to look so pimp.

[MB @ Mar 12th 2007 3:46AM]

I don't think he's trying to be pimp, he's just trying the Bill Gates look out.

As for A123 they're supplying the batteries for the serial-hybrid VentureOne http://www.flytheroad.com/

[David @ Mar 12th 2007 8:25AM]

I am an RC hobbyist and A123 really has been a marvel in that their LiIon batteries for RC can safely be charged at phenomenal amperages (I think it's 10A). So a 2200 mAh pack is done in 15 minutes. And they're really light and won't blow up in a bad crash like LiPo.

[LoonyLeif @ Mar 12th 2007 9:11AM]

Is that the dad from Malcolm in the Middle?

[just @ Mar 12th 2007 12:22PM]

The battery technology for making 100% electric cars that have around the 300 mile range has ALREADY EXISTED for a long time. TEXACO OWNS THE PATENTS NOW! They bought the company that was making the batteries for GM. This is what's left of them today: http://www.cobasys.com/ . Let's just hope that these guys stay out in the open and don't get buried by the media and politics.

[Dan @ Mar 12th 2007 2:36PM]

Just,

Thank you. Does no one realize that this has already happened before? It's the same company looking to do the same thing just to make it look like they're trying to advance. Google or wikipedia "EV1".

[Matt @ Mar 12th 2007 11:04PM]

Dan and Just,

The EV1 had a range of 100 miles, and that car would have cost $45,000 based on what it leased for. That's hardly the technological feat that will allow EV's to flourish. The large-format NimH patents Cobasys has aren't anything magical. And Cobasys is specifically mentioned in the article as teaming up with A123.

[Sarin @ Mar 13th 2007 7:17PM]

come on, whos the bi**h out of them then?