DoE Funds Plug-In Hybrid Battery Research

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Kevin Kolevar has announced the DOE will invest nearly $20 million in plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) research. The five projects selected for negotiation of awards of up to $17.2 million from the DOE specifically address PHEV battery cost and battery life. Combined with cost sharing by the United States Advanced Battery Consortium, these projects will allow up to $38 million in battery research and development.

Companies selected for negotiation of awards include 3M (to screen nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cathode materials through building and testing of small-sized cells); A123Systems (to develop batteries based on nanophase iron-phosphate chemistry for 10- and 40-mile-range PHEVs); Compact Power (to develop batteries for 10-mile-range PHEVs using high-energy and high-power manganese-spinel); EnerDel (to develop cells for 10- and 40-mile-range PHEVs using nanophase lithium titanate coupled with a high-voltage nickel-manganese cathode material); and Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions (to develop batteries using a nickelate-layered chemistry for 10- and 40-mile-range PHEVs.