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[Richard230]

Yesterday Envia announced a new Li-ion battery design that provides a density of 400 watt-hours per kilogram and a potential for vehicles with a 300-mile range.

This story hit the business section of my newspaper today. In an article written by Dana Hull of Mercurynews.com, it is stated that “Envia (Systems) was awarded a $4 million grant from ARPA-E in December 2009 to develop advanced lithium-ion batteries for electric cars. It went on to raise $17 million in venture capital from General Motors Ventures, Bay Partners, Redpoint and Pangaea Ventures. In a separate agreement, GM secured the right to use Envia's technology for GM's future electrically driven vehicles.”


An interesting comment in the article was provided by Mike Omososo, a senior auto analyst with LMC Automotive, who said: “It does sound very impressive, but it remains to be seen if it will work outside the lab”.  â€œSince most EV and plug-in makers have already got battery suppliers in place, it may be a few years before we see the Envia batteries in vehicles on the road”.

The article also mentions a statement by Envia that “When commercialized its 400 wh/kg battery, which will provide (an electric vehicle with) a range of 300 miles and cost about $25,000, will slash the price of electric vehicles, making them more affordable for mainstream customers”.

The article concludes with the following statements:  â€œWhile there's been talk in the industry of moving beyond lithium and using new materials, many expect lithium-ion batteries to remain dominant in the coming decades.”  â€œThe rumors of the demise of lithium-ion batteries were greatly exaggerated.”  (A quote by Evia's CEO Atul Kapadia.)

The article also mentions that there are "at least two dozen battery start-ups" in the Silicon Valley area.

[rider728]

does anyone now anything about the development of next generation lithium-sulphur, and eventually 'lithium-air', battery technology?  rumors say the energy density possible with those technologies could increase current power storage to weight ratios by a proposed factor of ten.  that would truly be the tipping point to push ev tech from the fringe to the forefront in terms of economic viability and usable range reliability.  then the inherent efficiency advantages of ev tech over internal combustion can really be fully exploited, especially if safe reliable quick charge technology and nfrastructure evolves alongside it.  the company that can successfully bring that energy density to market is where i want my meager investment dollars to go.  any suggestions?   

[Richard230]

Envia Systems is back in the news. In an article published in my newspaper today, written by Tom Krisher of the AP, titled: "Bay Area company's battery breakthrough". General Motors' CEO Dan Akerson, announced a battery breakthrough by Envia.  GM invested in a company called Envia Systems, which claims to have made a "huge breakthrough" in the amount of energy density of a lithium-ion battery.  GM says that the batteries could power an electric car for "100 or even 200 miles on a single charge".  GM is sure that the battery will be able to take a car 100 miles within a couple of years and it could double that with "some luck". Mr. Akerson said that "I think we've got better than a 50-50 chance to develop a car that will go to 200 miles on a charge.  That would be a game changer".

Earlier this year Envia said that their battery technology could slash the price of electric vehicles by cutting the battery cost in half. GM Ventures, the automaker's investment arm, put $7 million into Envia in January 2011. Akerson went on to say: "These little companies, come out of nowhere and they surprise you". Akerson said that the company is looking at hybrids, all-electric cars, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, as well as developing more efficient petroleum-powered engines.