Battery Breakthroughs: Would John McCain's $300 Million Help?

Tag : battery

Though he didn't have much to say about it at the just-concludedRepublican National Convention, where most of the energy talkconcerned offshore drilling, John McCain went on record last Juneas favoring a $300 million federal prize to deliver an automotive battery with "the size, capacity, costand power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrid orelectric cars."

The constantly evolving Chevrolet Volt: Whose batteries will ituse? (General Motors photo)
McCain also said he would stiffen fines on automakers that playfast and loose with Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)standards, and pump up incentives for developing alternative fuels.
Remember, he said all this back in June when prices were over $4 agallon. With the tiny easing of prices since then, perhaps theMcCain campaign has back-burnered this bright idea. Besides, hemakes more headlines when he talked about offshore drilling.
But, wow, $300 million, that's a lot of money! I agree with McCainthat this kind of competition can foster a lot of usefulinnovation. But I'd have to be convinced we could quickly developtechnology to "leapfrog" what is going into prototype electric carsand trucks right now. And the fast-moving global race to developclean cars may be all the incentive cutting-edge companies need.
The state of the art for batteries today is lithium-ion. And aleading player is Massachusetts-based A123 Systems , which the Department of Energy (presumed host of McCain'scontest) would not have to go far to find -- they're alreadyworking together. A123 is well connected both at DOE and the autocompanies with batteries for the next generation of hybrids, aswell as plug-in hybrids.
A123's battery technology is being considered for what I would callGeneral Motors' most important project: The Chevrolet Volt, whichis tentatively scheduled for showrooms in 2010. The Volt is a new kind of hybrid, with agasoline motor that's not connected to the wheels -- instead, it'sthere to keep the batteries charged and provide much greater rangethan is possible today with conventional electric cars.
It's by no means a certainty that A123 will get the Volt contract.Also in the running as the car goes down to the wire, we hear, is adivision of Korea's LG Chem Ltd, the largest chemical company inthat country. LG Chem was recently awarded a $4.6 million grant by the U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium(USABC) to develop advanced lithium-ion polymer batteries forhybrid cars.
Whoever wins, the batteries will have to be truly great -- able tolast 150,000 miles or 10 years, and help speed the car to 60 mph inless than nine seconds.
A123 was not available for comment, but GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutzis clear that a competition of sorts is underway. "Breakthroughbattery technology will drive future automotive propulsion, and thecompany that aligns with the best strategic partners will win," hesaid. "That's what is so important about this deal. Whether you'retalking about the Chevy Volt, a fuel cell or even a plug-in hybridsuch as our planned Saturn Vue, we need to understand thefundamental battery cell performance."
Agreed. The future will undoubtedly be electric. So even if McCainloses, there's a big incentive for companies to get startedcranking out better batteries.