LG Chem/CPI reportedly chosen to power the first production Volt
2011 Chevrolet Volt
According to a Reuters report, General Motors has chosen Troy, MI-based Compact Power Inc. as the supplier of battery packs for the initial production run of Chevrolet Volts. Compact Power is a subsidiary of South Korean conglomerate LG Chem and was one of two groups that were awarded development contracts for the Volt in June 2007. The other contract went to a partnership of Continental and A123 Systems. CPI has been rumored to have won the production contract for some time and GM acknowledged in late summer that a decision had been made. An official announcement is not expected until some time in November, perhaps at the Los Angeles Auto Show. While a technical decision has been made, GM and CPI still have to settle the commercial details including how the carmaker and supplier will split warranty costs. CPI has been considered to be in the lead since very early on when they delivered their first prototype battery packs almost two months before Continental/A123. When we spoke to Bob Lutz back in June he said although one supplier was in the lead, both companies were continuing to work on packs in the hope of accelerating the learning process.
Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt Live Reveal
[Source: Reuters]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TX CHL Instructor 9:54AM (10/23/2008)
Considering the huge negative net worth of GM, why do you still think it's even going to be in business long enough to produce the Volt?
The only thing that can save GM is a massive taxpayer-funded bailout. I would prefer to see them go thump, just like any other poorly-run business, so that businesses with a better business model than "burn the family furniture to make it through the winter" can take its place.
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Tim 10:18AM (10/23/2008)
LitroEnergy Power Cells Produce Continuous Output
By combining a non-stop luminescing technology that has a 20-year duration (12-year half-life), with thin film photovoltaics in a layered arrangement, MPK Co. has devised a portable, continuous generator that could change the planet.
The combining these two technologies – the thin-film solar and the LitroSpheres™ – would entail very thin, repeated layers of each so that a large number of stacked sets would comprise a significant power density. They call these versatile hybrid species, Litroenergy Power Cells, which can be scaled from micro applications to large utilities.
The Litroenergy technology is based on a combination of an advanced phosphorus and tritium, hence the 12-year half-life.
http://pesn.com/2008/10/22/9501495_Litroenergy_Power_Cells/
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damian 10:37AM (10/23/2008)
There's something I don't quite understand. On the previous post it was announced that GE invested $50 million on A123, and now it seems that GE is picking CPI over A123 to supply batteries...
Can anybody explain a bit more about this? Did I get something wrong? Thanks
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Tim 10:56AM (10/23/2008)
Damian:
GE is General Electric (who invested in A123)
GM is General Motors (who chose LG Chem/CPI instead of A123 for the Gen-1 Volt batteries.
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Joe B. 12:17PM (10/23/2008)
GM wants the U.S. government to give it a $24 billion dollar low interest loan while they award a battery contract to a Korean company? I'd rather have the government give the loan to A123, Enerdel, Tesla, and Chrysler. Chrysler is working with A123 to develop a battery pack for their cars. Tesla has a proven product.
Lithium ion battery packs are too vital to our economy. This is a humongous emerging market. We need to manufacture this product at home. They have many uses. They will be needed for storage once the solar farms get built. The electricity could be sold at night while there's no sunlight. It's also conceivable that each home in the future would have a solar panel and battery packs that store the electricity that is produced during the day. We would then use it after we come home from school or work.
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Tim 2:58PM (10/23/2008)
Joe B. said "GM wants the U.S. government..." WRONG!!!
The correct statement is: "GM wants the government to FORCE the US Taxpayer..."
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