Johnson Controls Awarded USABC-DOE Contract to Develop Enhanced-Technology Lithium-Ion Battery
June 28, 2004
Johnson Controls of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, announced that it has been granted an 18-month contract for lithium-ion battery development by the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC). Over the course of the contract period, the company will develop an abuse-tolerant, lithium-ion battery offering extended life and significantly improved power-to-weight performance versus current hybrid-battery technology.
Johnson Controls and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program are funding the 18-month program, and the USABC is providing programmatic support. Members of the USABC include DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and General Motors. The organization's mission is to pursue research and development into advanced energy systems that will enable future-generation electric and hybrid electric vehicles to achieve significantly increased range and performance.
Under terms of the contract, Johnson Controls is required to supply modules that can be tested for abuse-tolerance, capacity, pulse power, calendar life, and cycle life. The initial product will consist of 12 ampere-hour cells. A major goal is to meet the FreedomCAR battery performance requirements, as set forth by the USABC. FreedomCAR is an industry-government research initiative to collaboratively develop technologies that will deliver substantial improvements in the fuel-economy and emissions performance of U.S. passenger vehicles.