Johnson Controls has made a couple of potentially major advances in EV battery technology, which it will be displaying at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. A Ford Transit Connect Electric van powered by a Johnson Controls lithium-ion battery will be available for test drives.

Johnson’s new prismatic storage cells are designed to require less installation space than cylindrical cells, making them easier to integrate into vehicles. The company has also developed a modular battery system, which should be easy to adapt to different EV models, shortening development times and making batteries more affordable to produce. Each sub-module contains storage cells, an electric collector system, monitoring electronics, a cooling system and mechanical mounting options.

Johnson Controls plans to produce the new sub-modules beginning in 2014.

Image: Johnson Controls