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DOE Embraces “Beyond Lithium-Ion” Strategy for Advanced Battery Development

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DOE Embraces “Beyond Lithium-Ion” Strategy for Advanced Battery Development

The Obama Administration generated considerable interest with its May 15, 2013 announcement that the U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) has been selected to run a $12.5 million program to accelerate development of advanced batteries for electric vehicles.

“By investing in these cutting-edge battery technologies, the Energy Department is helping to cut America's oil imports and provide American families and businesses with more transportation options,” according to a Department of Energy (DOE) news release.

This certainly was good news for efforts by the U.S. battery industry to meet the challenges of bringing affordable batteries to the electric vehicle market. However, it wasn’t until the third paragraph of the news release that DOE made clear the USABC program is “subject to congressional appropriations.” In other words, Congress needs to approve funding for USABC to run the program.

DOE’s advanced battery research and development program does enjoy strong support in Congress, but with a twist. For the past several years, Congressional committees have become somewhat impatient with progress in developing affordable lithium-ion batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles. DOE estimates the current price to be about $485/kWh. While that is lower than the $1,200/kWh estimated cost in 2008, it is still above the target price of $150/kWh. 

So, DOE has embarked on a two-pronged strategy. First, DOE intends to continue its work to make lithium-ion batteries more affordable for consumers. Second, however, DOE also wants to adopt a “beyond lithium-ion” strategy to look at a broader range of chemistries. 

This broader range includes lithium-metal, lithium-sulfur and lithium-air. But it also includes non-lithium chemistries as well. This will involve a collaboration between the DOE Vehicle Technologies office and the DOE Office of Science, which runs the department’s basic research program. A diagram showing how such a program can work was displayed May 14, 2013 at the Vehicle Technologies Annual Merit Review meeting in Virginia.

 

 
 
DOE also highlighted the request for more funding from Congress, where the House and Senate appropriations committees are currently considering the Fiscal Year 2013-14 budget, which begins next October 1. DOE is requesting that Congress appropriate twice the amount currently available.
 
 
Will DOE get all the funding it is seeking from Congress? It is important to note that the proposed funding increase for vehicle technologies is being partly financed by proposed cuts in the department’s fossil energy budget. This has angered those in the coal and natural gas industries who have been lobbying Congress to support their interests.
 
Nevertheless, the USABC is likely to receive at least some of what DOE is seeking. Moreover, USABC not only is working on advanced batteries for plug-in and full electric vehicles, it also is giving more attention to how well batteries can serve the expected increased demand for 12V start-stop and micro hybrid vehicle applications. USABC has issued the following table of “end of life characteristics” that US automakers believe should serve as a benchmark for measuring battery performance for 12Vs in stop-start vehicles. DOE believes the lead-acid industry has an excellent chance to meet these standards:
 

 

 

Target

End of Life Characteristics

Units

Under hood

Not under hood

Discharge Pulse, Is

kW

6

Max current, 0.5s

A

900

Engine-off accessory load

W

750

Cold cranking power at -30°C (three 4-5-s pulses, 10s rests  between pulses at lower SOC)

kW

6kW for 0.5s followed by 4kW for 4s

Extended Stand Test (30 days at 30°C followed by cold crank test)

kW

6kW for 0.5s followed by 4kW for 4s

Min voltage under cold crank

Vdc

8.0

Available energy (750W)

Wh

360

Peak Recharge Rate, 10s

kW

2.2

Sustained Recharge Rate

W

750

Cycle life, every 10% life RPT with cold crank at min SOC

Engine starts/miles

450k/150k

Calendar Life at 30°C, 45°C if under hood

Years

15 at 45°C

15 at 30°C

Minimum rund trip energy efficiency

%

95

Maximum allowable self-discharge rate

Wh/day

10

Peak Operating Voltage, 10s

Vdc

15.0

Sustained Max. Operating Voltage

Vdc

14.6

Minimum Operating Voltage under load

Vdc

10.5

Operating Temperature Range (available energy to allow 6 kW (1s) pulse)

°C

-30 to +75

-30 to +52

30°C - 52°C

%

100 (to 75°C)

100

0°C

%

50

-10°C

%

30

-20°C

%

15

-30°C

%

10

Survival Temperature Range (24 hours)

°C

-46 to +100

-46 to +66

Maximum System Weight

kg

10

Maximum System Volume

L

7

Maximum System Selling Price (@100k units/year)

$

$220

$180