Fourth-Generation Lithium-Ion Battery with 4,500 W/kg http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/05/hitachi-power-cell-20090519.html

Hitachi Develops Fourth-Generation, High Power Automotive Lithium-Ion Battery with 4,500 W/kg; Sampling to Start in the Fall
19 May 2009

The fourth-generation power cell. Click to enlarge.
Hitachi, Ltd. and Hitachi Vehicle Energy, Ltd., which develops and manufactures lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications, have developed a lithium-ion battery having a power density of 4,500 W/kg—1.7 times the output of the company’s current generation of mass-produced, automotive lithium-ion batteries. (Earlier post.)

Sampling of the new battery by domestic and overseas car manufacturers will start in the fall.

To reduce internal resistance, the battery employs a new manganese cathode and an original Hitachi battery structure, such as thinner electrodes, power collection method and configurations to achieve the output level.

In 2000, Hitachi began the development and then mass production of lithium-ion batteries for automotive applications. It is currently delivering a second-generation lithium-ion battery with an power density of 2,600 W/kg for automotive and railway applications. Hitachi has delivered a total of some 600,000 cells up to this point, mainly to car manufacturers and railway companies.

Hitachi has already completed development of a third-generation lithium-ion battery having an even higher power density (3,000 W/kg) which will go into mass-production in 2010, with deliveries scheduled to begin the same year. The battery set to start sampling this fall has been developed as a fourth-generation lithium-ion battery that is even smaller and lighter.

Going forward, in addition to this lineup of stand-alone battery cell products, Hitachi will provide battery system solutions that include control systems.

The new battery will be on display at the Automotive Engineering Exposition 2009 held at PACIFICO Yokohama from 20-22 May.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

© 2005-09 Green Car Congress