Daimler AG says it’s developed a lithium-ion battery suitable for use in the Mercedes S 400 BlueHYBRID beginning next year. The enabling technology leverages 25 patents held by Daimler. The battery will be produced by Continental Automotive Systems. (See article below.)
"What we have here is a groundbreaking key technology that is going to be a decisive factor for the future success of the automotive industry,” exulted Thomas Weber, member of the Daimler AG Board of Management and responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. Daimler has been researching relevant technology since 1992.
Daimler engineers integrated the lithium-ion battery into the vehicle's climate control system, thus ensuring that the battery always works at optimal system temperatures between 15-35 °C, which makes it possible for the battery to provide long service life and maximum performance.
The main advantages offered by the lithium-ion battery are its compact dimensions and its superior performance compared to conventional nickel-metal hydride batteries. The battery’s weight/power ratio is 1,900 watts per liter (W/L), and Daimler says the battery also offers high ampere-hour efficiency, long service life, and reliability, even at very low temperatures. Its safety level equals that of today's auto batteries, according to the company.