Battery Power - May/June 2012 - (Page 26)

iNdustry News Managing transportation emissions and reducing energy insecurity due to a volatile oil industry are on the top of the agenda of many countries across the world. Electric vehicles (EVs) have a significant role to play in both of those areas, and while EVs will continue to be a niche market through the remainder of this decade, the global automotive industry is beginning to move away from the internal combustion engine and toward electric drivetrains. For auto manufacturers, the key to this shift will be the continual advancement in the capabilities of the vehicles’ batteries, which will be led by lithium ion (Li-Ion) chemistries. The convergence of the automotive industry toward battery power and the engineering of safe, reliable and economical Li-Ion batteries will slowly reshape the automotive industry as it moves toward electrification. According to a recent report from Pike Research, as manufacturing efficiencies improve and access to lithium expands, the installed cost of Li-Ion batteries will fall by more than one-third by the end of 2017. In terms of revenue, the market for Li-Ion batteries for transportation will grow from $2.0 billion annually in 2011 to more than $14.6 billion by 2017, the cleantech market intelligence firm forecasts. “The market for Li-Ion batteries will be driven primarily by plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which require much larger battery packs than hybrids,” said research director John Gartner. “Battery chemistries that prioritize energy capacity over power density can satisfy both the PHEV and EV battery segments, enabling vendors to offer products to multiple vendors for multiple models. Reducing the installed price of EV batteries to $523 per kilowatt hour in 2017 will be a critical step towards making PEVs costcompetitive with petroleum-powered vehicles.” Although most plug-in electric vehicles today have a range of between 40 and 100 miles, continued concerns over range and the availability of charging infrastructure remain among the biggest impediments to the wider adoption of Li-Ion batteries. On the supply side, challenges such as achieving higher energy density, better safety and greater discharge/charge rates linger despite advances in battery technology. Although a number of Li-Ion chemistries are available today, none of them can claim to be the ideal solution. Manufacturers must make tradeoffs in choosing a particular type of Li-Ion battery over others. Pike Research’s report, “Electric Vehicle Batteries”, outlines the critical role that governments around the globe will play in establishing the electric vehicle market, and the challenges that manufacturers face in creating an industry that will be able to stand on its own as government influence diminishes. The study examines the key market drivers for the electrification of vehicles, the status of R&D in batteries, the impact of declining battery production costs on vehicle sales and the resale of batteries after their useful life in vehicles. Prices for Li-Ion Batteries will Fall by More Than OneThird by 2017, Helping to Drive EV Adoption, Forecasts Pike Research ABB Creates EV Charging Breakthrough with Launch of Terra SC ABB has launched the Terra Smart Connect (SC), a product that will significantly improve the business case for installing electric-vehicle (EV) fast chargers throughout Europe. The Terra SC will be available for delivery in Europe in the second quarter. The Terra SC is a direct-current (DC) charger specifically designed for convenient fast charging in commercial and office areas. It fully charges an electric car in 30 to 120 minutes, while the driver attends a business meeting, goes to the movies or enjoys a meal. The Terra SC is also suited for people who want to keep driving but don’t necessarily need a full charge: it can charge the battery of currently available EVs from 30 percent to 80 percent in less than half an hour. The Terra SC is a Web-connected charger that comes with a full range of connectivity features including remote assistance, management and servicing and smart software upgradeability. Its key optional features include RFID and PIN code authorization, a billing interface for parking operators and a Web-based statistics module with data per user to support energy usage reporting. ABB’s connectivity suite supports all existing and future connection standards within the same network. The growing number of electric vehicles is driving a global market opportunity for charging solutions including sophisticated monitoring systems and software to support the electric grid. ABB estimates that the market for charging infrastructure solutions will be worth $1 billion by 2017. Since launching Europe’s first commercially operated fast-charging station in the Netherlands in May 2010, ABB has delivered and installed many DC charging stations and networks throughout the region. In January, ABB won a tender offer to build a network of 200 fast chargers throughout Estonia, creating the world’s first DC charging infrastructure with full nationwide coverage. American Vanadium Licenses Vanadium Electrolyte Intellectual Property from Battelle American Vanadium Corp. has signed a licensing agreement with Battelle for use of a mixed acid electrolyte technology developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) that increases the energy density and operating temperature range of vanadium redox flow batteries. Additionally, as part of a separate agreement, PNNL will independently evaluate the developwww.BatteryPowerOnline.com 26 Battery Power • May/June 2012 http://www.BatteryPowerOnline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Battery Power - May/June 2012

Battery Power - May/June 2012
New Battery Interface Specification to Address Key Consumer and Manufacturers’ Issues
Demand Spike for Backup Power Systems Stokes Growth in the Global Stationary Lead Acid Battery Market
Battery Management Considerations for Large Cell Count Systems
Flywheel Energy Storage – A UPS Battery’s Best Friend
Zero-Volt: Medical and Satellite Battery Technology Can Help Improve Safety of Electric Vehicles
Second Edition of IEC 62133: The Standard for Secondary Cells and Batteries Containing Alkaline or Other Non-Acid Electrolytes is in its Final Review Cycle
Batteries
ICs and Semiconductors
Charging & Testing
Components
Power Supplies
Industry News
Marketplace
Calendar of Events
Research and Development

Battery Power - May/June 2012