EVS23: ExxonMobil talks with AutoblogGreen on new lithium-ion battery technology
Late last week, ExxonMobil announced that it, along with Japanese company Tonen Chemical, had developed a new plastic film technology for automotive lithium-ion batteries. And, since ExxonMobil was going to be at EVS23, I set up an interview with people who could tell AutoblogGreen readers more about this product. Thanks to a missed flight, I was not able to meet with ExxonMobil representatives at our appointment on Sunday but did connect with James Harris (pictured), the senior vice president of ExxonMobil Chemical Company and Patrick Brandt, the chief polymer scientist, R&D product technology, on the phone from Houston this afternoon. Brandt and Harris spoke with AutoblogGreen about the way the new plastic sheet technology might affect future HEVs and BEVs. They're not naming names (big surprise), but did say that at least one major farm equipment manufacturer expressed an interest in the technology for farm implements right away.
Brandt walked us through some details on what the technology does. According to him, with this safe, higher-viscosity sheet, more lithium ions can safely move around between the electrodes in the battery. This results, apparently, in a more efficient and affordable lithium ion battery, which could potentially make hybrids and electric cars cheaper.
You can listen to the interview here (15 min, 10.3 MB). My own voice was recorded at a lower level, but you don't tune in to hear me, right? It's all about getting information from sources in the industry. It's unclear just how all this will fit into ExxonMobil's overall energy strategies, but that shouldn't stop anyone from speculating.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
detroit9000 10:31PM (12/06/2007)
Exxon puts the lithfun in lithiun.
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rgseidl 6:21AM (12/07/2007)
Don't kid yourself, Exxon is in the very lucrative business of producing and refining oil. Quite possibly, they are accumulating battery-related patents merely to legally block others from advancing the state of the art in PHEVs and BEVs.
The technology does sound similar to the Separion material developed by Evonik Degussa in Germany, though.
http://www.degussa.com/degussa/en/press/news/details?NewsID=1822
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