Panasonic has told the Japan Times that it will increase domestic production of lithium-ion automobile batteries in order to meet robust demand in the US. The giant electronics maker said that it will restart idled production lines at an Osaka factory that produces batteries for Silicon Valley standard-bearer Tesla Motors as early as January, while… Read more »
Plug In America (PIA) has released a study by its Chief Science Officer (and Charged contributor), Tom Saxton, designed to predict the longevity of Tesla Roadster battery packs, based on user data. The advocacy organization used data voluntarily submitted by Roadster owners, as well as data collected anonymously through the Open Vehicle Monitoring System. 126 vehicles contributed… Read more »
In a new report, Navigant Research profiles 11 Li-ion battery vendors that are active in the EV market, and rates them on 13 criteria, including systems integration, safety engineering, chemistry performance, geographic reach, manufacturing and product performance, pricing, and overall corporate financial health. According to Navigant, “Li-ion batteries have won the race to be the chemistry… Read more »
Upcoming models that will use Panasonic cells include the Fusion and C-Max hybrids, as well as the Fusion Energi and C-Max Energi PHEVs.
Lithium ion batteries – we EV boosters love ‘em (though we wish they could be a bit lighter and a lot cheaper). EV party-poopers hate ‘em, telling anyone who will listen that they’re bound to explode, stop working after a year or two, or maybe even channel mind-controlling signals from hippy Communist aliens. Everyone agrees… Read more »
Panasonic announced today that it will supply lithium-ion batteries for Toyota’s new Prius PHEV. The company is already supplying nickel-metal hydride batteries to several automakers, but this will be the first time its lithium-ion offerings appear in a production vehicle. The Japanese electronics giant is charging ahead in the battery business, with a major R&D… Read more »
Two major EV pioneers have announced another chapter in their partnership, an agreement under which Panasonic will supply Tesla Motors with lithium-ion battery cells for Tesla’s new Model S. Panasonic is a major investor in Tesla, and the two companies have worked closely together to develop an EV-optimized battery cell based on nickel-type cathode technology…. Read more »