Electric vehicle battery costs falling

In 2009, the U.S. had just two factories manufacturing advanced vehicle batteries for advanced technology vehicles such as electric cars and produced less than 2% of the world’s advanced batteries. By 2015, the U.S. will be able to produce enough batteries and components to support 500,000 plug-in and hybrid vehicles and will have the capacity to make 40% of the world’s advanced batteries. The increase comes in large part from measures in The Recovery Act, which included $2.4 billion for battery and electric drive component manufacturing and infrastructure. So says the report, U.S. DOE Vehicle Technologies Program; Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future. It also says because of these investments, battery costs are expected to drop by half between 2009 and 2013.