It hasn't been easy for many aspiring EV builders to get A123's lithium cells for their projects, but a new deal struck by the battery maker and Mavizen may change that. The TTXGP-affiliated electric motorcycle maker has reached an agreement that will see them distributing their Domenick Yoney
A123 Systems is looking to cash in on the emerging stop/start hybrid market with its 12V Nanophosphate lithium-ion battery. Compared to typical lead-acid AGM batteries, A123 says that its li-ion units offer enhanced charge acceptance, which reduces the load on the vehicle's alternator and engine, leading to improved fuel economy. In addition, Jeff Kessen, A123's vice president of automotive marketing and communication, claims that the firm's 12V li-ion battery weighs 60 percent less than a lead-
The United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC (USABC), a research collaboration between Chrysler Group, Ford Motor and General Motors, has awarded A123 Systems an $8 million, 24-month contract, which the firm will use to continue its quest to develop its patented Nanophosphate lithium-ion battery systems. A123 Systems touts its Nanophosphate
A "major" North American automaker has turned to A123 Systems to supply lithium-ion battery packs for a pure-electric vehicle that's expected to hit showrooms in 2013. A123 chief executive officer David Vieau told the Boston Business Journal that:
You may not be able to buy a Fisker Karma just yet, but thanks to MIT you may learn a little bit more about the plug-in's battery life. Back in January 2010, it was announced that the Karma would be using batteries supplied by A123 Systems, which just happens to be an MIT spinoff company. The MIT Electric Vehicle Team is using these A
A123 Systems announced the grand opening of its 291,000 square-foot battery research, development and production plant in Livonia, MI today. The factory's vast size makes it, the company claims, "the largest lithium-ion automotive battery production facility in North America." That is, based on readily available data. The new plant will expand A123's battery manufacturing capabili
A123 Systems had a tough second quarter with an increased loss and the loss of potential business with Chrysler. A123 had been named by Chrysler as its electric vehicle battery supplier early in 2009. Unfortunately, Chrysler's ENVI division was dissolved late last year following the company's bankruptcy process and Sam Abuelsamid
Massachusetts-based A123 Systems has been one of the rising stars of the lithium battery field in the last several years. In spite of that, the company that was started by a team of MIT researchers has struggled to raise cash to manufacture automotive cells in the United States.
At the same time that A123 Systems was announcing its deal to supply lithium ion batteries to Fisker Automotive last week, the Massachusetts-based company announced a major expansion of its production capacity. A123 already has one plant running in Novi, MI, (northwest of Detroit) and there is a second, larger, 300,000 square facil
A new Electrification Coalition was announced today with the backing of the CEOs from twelve companies. What's interesting about this group is that, among the leaders from electric vehicles companies and related start-ups – Coda Automotive, Coulomb Technolgies, A123 Systems, etc. – we find Nissan's Carlos Ghosn. Nissan is the only major OEM to participate in this coalition, which will promote "policies and actions that will facilitate the deployment of electric vehicles on a mass sca
A123 Systems has garnered plenty of attention for its lithium ion battery technology over the last several years, mostly here in the United States. The Massachusetts-based startup has now formed a partnership with IHI to market its batteries in Japan, a market that already has a number of domestic suppliers. According to IHI, it favors the A123 batteries because they are lower in cost.
Massachusetts-based battery maker A123 Systems finally completed its initial public offering on Thursday. The lithium ion start-up offered 28,180,501 shares of its common stock at an opening price of $13.50 a share. Apparently, traders on the Nasdaq exchange thought the price was too low and quickly bid it up to a first day closing price of $20.29 a share, a healthy 50-percent gain. For those interested in following the stock, it is listed under the ticker symbol AONE on the NASDAQ listings.
At the closed and then re-openend Monaco Recreational Vehicle plant in Indiana today, President Obama will announce exactly how $2.4 billion in Recovery Act grant money will be spent on advanced battery technologies and on infrastructure for more electric vehicles. This is a bit more than the $2 billion originally set aside in February to fund advanced batteries in the Recovery Act. A
It looks like Ford won't be the only company getting lithium ion battery packs from Magna International. The Magna Steyr division of the supplier announced last week that it will begin production of packs at its plant in Graz, Austria next month. The packs will be supplied to Volvo for use in its buses, heavy duty trucks and garbage trucks equipped with hybrid powertrains. Volvo uses a parallel hybrid system for its vehicles.
Click on the image above for a high-res gallery of the EnerDel Th!nk City
When Consumer Reports tested out the Hymotion L5 plug-in Toyota Prius conversion earlier this year, they weren't overwhelmed with the results. Sure, the mileage they observed was boosted to about 67 mpg over the first 35 miles of the drive, but that didn't match the claims of 100 mpg (or more) that Hymotion and A123 Systems make about their product.
When Consumer Reports tested out the Hymotion L5 plug-in Toyota Prius conversion earlier this year, they weren't overwhelmed with the results. Sure, the mileage they observed was boosted to about 67 mpg over the first 35 miles of the drive, but that didn't match the claims of 100 mpg (or more) that Hymotion and A123 Systems make about their product.
With the closing of the latest round of private fund raising, Massachusetts-based A123 Systems now has an extra $69 million in the bank. General Electric put up $15 million of that amount, bringing its ownership stake in the advanced battery startup to more than 10 percent, the single largest shareholding. This latest funding round comes just one week after Chrysler announced that A123 Systems
Earlier this week, Chrysler confirmed it would be using battery packs supplied by A123, an American company that specializes in high-tech lithium ion battery technology, to power future electric vehicles as part of its ENVI program. To make this deal work out, A123 will build an assembly plan
