Breakthrough battery to drop this year?
Last week, John Doerr (pictured right) was giving a briefing to a Senate committee discussing the current economic, climate and energy security crises and possible solutions. Doerr is a partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) and as such has the inside scoop on a lot of the cool new green tech innovation going on beneath the public radar. During his speech, he dropped some news of interest to those hoping for a better battery breakthrough for plug-in cars.According to Doerr, there is a company somewhere in the Midwest, currently in "stealth" mode, building manufacturing capacity with plans to start shipping product by the end of the year. They have a lithium ion battery that is stable, durable and with "higher effective storage capacity." He says, "The result is electric vehicles will be able to travel twice as far, and eventually three times as far, to over 100 miles before recharging." Of course, those familiar with Apteras's 100+ mile and Tesla's 200+ mile range won't find that figure especially attractive and wish he had spoken in terms of watt hours per kilogram. If they really plan to ship so soon, we suspect further details should be forthcoming before too long. We'll keep you posted.
[Source: New York Times]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
PeterG 9:57AM (1/13/2009)
You would think if KPCB really believed in EEStor, they would get out of the Lithium business. I mean EEStor should make Lithium batteries obsolete if you believe the claims.
Defenders of EEstor ( Future Duke Nukem Vapor product award recipient) regular cite investment by KPCB as proof that it is not a scam...
I think I have been hearing for three years now that EEstor will be on the road "next year" but of course they haven't shown a single capacitor cell to verify claims.
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Nudger 10:10AM (1/13/2009)
Are people simply blind? Ever heard of "pump and dump"??? Doerr is using a Congressional hearing to disseminate his personal (and clearly self-interested) interpretation of inside information! People go to jail for this when public companies are involved, but VCs get a hall pass when they pump private company valuations with unveriviable claims.
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Rick 10:16AM (1/13/2009)
100 miles between recharing is extremely attractive, if it's more affordable than the Tesla, and is an actual car unlike the Aptera.
The goal should be to get affordable EVs on the road first, then worry about range. 50 miles between charges would do most people, but there are few affordable & desirable options if any right now.
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Tim 10:23AM (1/13/2009)
"...wish he had spoken in terms of watt hours per kilogram."
Remember, he was talking to a Congressional committee, so he had to talk in very simple terms that they could understand.
When speaking before Congress, small words and short sentences and ambiguity keep the questions at bay and the LAST thing you want to do is put your foot in your mouth.
Congress is the most ignorant body on the planet.
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jharlan 11:02AM (1/13/2009)
Is it just posturing and advertising? In this case I kind of doubt it. With every new car model coming out more efficient that the last, and VC by the tons going into battery R & D, it is a race worthy of the Manhattan project and I would have to be more optimistic.
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gorr 11:02AM (1/13/2009)
Poor actuals car manufacturers and car consumers. It's been more then a year that car manufacturers have started battery car development after rejecting hydrogen transportation without saying it . Nor they have invested billions in batteries and then what ?? yes someone predict a battery 2x more powerful then the actual one in less then a year. If it's true , then in one year all money invested in actual battery will be for nothing and they will have to re-do for the xè time another technology swap and battery supplier swap. And to top-up that goverment have already legalise the co2 emission and fuel mileage rating.
So the laws and tecnical specification change each month and no car manufacturers can adapt to montly basic change in their plans that must be 3-5 years in a normal market. This promise of a breakthru battery is maybe pure lie to destabilate actual car manufacturers to put their shares at 1 cents and buy them for free.
I told you 2 years ago to start building and selling my hydrogen car and put it on sale in canada. By listening to everyone, especially the goverment lobby of traders, then they sold themself to the goverments and have let down their customers.
They are poor managers working for goverments. They have set communism all over the world and are provoking the burning and deforestration of lands and the selling of foods products on wall streets traders places. All their publicity and public relation are false.
I hope a new start-up compagny sell me a used car of 5 000$-10 000$ fitted with hho injestion but re-programmed good, for 100 mpg or more and bye bye toyota , gm, honda, goverments, banks, associated press, associate tv new, associated oil traders, associated and subsidizes battery makers.
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why not the LS2LS7? 12:03PM (1/13/2009)
Smells like manure to me.
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meme 1:25PM (1/13/2009)
I really don't care that much about its Wh/kg, its Wh/l, or its W/kg. I care most about its $/Wh; that's the real limiting factor.
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jwer 1:26PM (1/13/2009)
2nd sentence: venture capitAl, not venture capitOl.
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Domenick Yoney 2:10PM (1/13/2009)
Thank you. Fixed.
Hollie 1:25PM (1/13/2009)
My advisors tell me that these lithium ion batteries won't drop this year, because if they drop they might break.
(Sorry, but as an incredibly old person, seeing lingo about products "dropping" makes me think I have accidentally stumbled onto Justin Timberlake's blog by mistake.)
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Sherry 5:50PM (1/13/2009)
We seriously need to get on with the business of becoming energy independent. While we are doing the happy dance around the pumps with the lower prices OPEC is planning yet more production cuts and will not quit until they achieve their desired price per barrel. The record high prices this past year have done serious damage to our economy and society. It would cost the equivalent of 60 cents per gallon to charge and drive an elctric car. If all gasoline cars, trucks, and suv's instead had plug-in electric drivetrains, the amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota.WE must move forward with energy independence. We have the knowledge, we have the technology, what America lacks is a plan. Jeff Wilson has a new book out that is beyond awesome. The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence NOW. He walks you through every aspect of oil, what it is used for besides gas, our depletion of it. The worlds increased need ie 3rd world countries becoming more modernized and consuming more. He explains alternative energy source and what role they can play to replace oil. His research is backed up with hard data and even includes a time frame and proposed legislative agendas to wean America off oil. http://www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com
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RSR 10:55AM (1/14/2009)
I just worry about how the ignorant Senators and their equally ignorant aides will jump to conclusions.... They love soundbites.
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gaetano marano 4:37PM (6/25/2009)
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the Quick Drop battery car has no future, as explained here: http://ow.ly/dOIK
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