A123 Systems, recently troubled by a recall of Fisker Karma battery packs, is claiming a breath-through development enabling lithium ion batteries to operate at extreme temperatures without a cooling system.
The technology is called Nanophosphate EXT and was designed “to significantly reduce or eliminate the need for heating or cooling systems”.
Go deeper with GlobalData
“We believe Nanophosphate EXT is a game-changing breakthrough that overcomes one of the key limitations of lead acid, standard lithium ion and other advanced batteries. By delivering high power, energy and cycle life capabilities over a wider temperature range, we believe [it] can reduce or even eliminate the need for costly thermal management systems which we expect will dramatically enhance the business case for deploying [our] lithium ion battery solutions for a significant number of applications,” said A123’s CEO David Vieau.
He added the supplier would offer the technology to existing customers and look for new applications “that previously were not possible to cost-effectively serve with lithium ion batteries”.
A123 said initial testing showed that cells built with the new technology should retain over 90% of initial capacity after 2,000 full charge-discharge cycles at 45C. Cold temperature testing, now under way, is expected to deliver a 20% increase in power at temperatures as low as minus 30C.
Yann Guezennec, who heads an auto research centre at Ohio State University, claimed: “If our testing also validates the low-temperature power capabilities that A123’s data is showing, we believe Nanophosphate EXT could be a game-changing battery breakthrough for the electrification of transportation, including the emerging micro hybrid vehicle segment.”
The supplier said the new technology can substantially improve the cold-cranking capabilities of lithium ion engine start batteries, overcoming the advantage of lead acid in starter battery use.
Reducing or eliminating active cooling systems in electric vehicle battery packs would lower cost, reduce weight and improve reliability.
Nanophosphate EXT is scheduled to enter volume production in 20Ah prismatic cells during the first half of 2013.
