Daimler to bring lithium batteries in-house through JV with Evonik
It looks like Daimler AG doesn't plan to rely solely on suppliers for lithium ion batteries going forward. Traditionally, automakers prefer to keep most powertrain development in-house as one of the primary differentiators from other manufacturers. As these companies move forward into hybrid and electric drive vehicles, the battery pack is becoming an ever-more integral part of the powertrain.
Daimler has launched a joint venture with Evonik to develop lithium ion batteries. Daimler will apparently own 90 percent of the JV. Evonik already manufactures electrodes and separators for batteries and recently purchased a stake in Li-Tec. Evonik's electrodes are based on lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide chemistry. So far, there is no indication of when the JV will start producing batteries.
[Source: Green Car Congress]
Add your comments