A123Systems has been awarded an $8million advanced battery development project from the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC).
The consortium, which is made up of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, has received co-funding on the contract from the US Department of Energy with a 50 per cent cost share from A123Systems. The consortium’s mission is to develop electrochemical energy storage technologies that will support the commercialisation of electric, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles.
Spread over two years, the idea is that A123 will develop nanophosphate lithium-ion battery systems that meet the USABC target application for power assist hybrid electric vehicle low-energy energy storage systems. Its requirements are for a smaller and lighter low-cost battery cell with higher regenerative power capabilities and lower energy.
This marks the third time that A123Systems has received a development contract from USABC. Back in 2006 it received a $15million, 36month battery development project for nanophosphate technology; and in 2008 it received a $12.5million technology development contract for plug-in hybrid electric applications.
