GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

On Monday June 8th, GM despite being amidst a chapter 11 bankruptcy, formally opened its new expansive advanced automotive battery systems lab. I was present for the press conference and heard the announcement live.

The lab is the largest and most technologically advanced automotive battery lab in the United States.
Located in the sprawling 1 mile square Warren Technical Center, the lab occupies 33,000 square feet, 4 times the size of the old lab.

In attendance for the announcement was US Senators Levin, and Stabenow, Congressman Sander Levin, and Michigan Governor Granholm who along with their entourage were given tours of the lab.

CEO Henderson said today is “about the lifeblood of the future” for GM. He said the new GM will be a leader in electric cars.

This facility will advance GM’s knowledge and testing skills. Henderson said GM plans 14 hybrids in production by 2012, and to have 2/3 of their cars using alternative energy by 2013.

The Volt assembly plant will go online later this summer.

The lab is intended to advance new lithium ion and other battery development. Henderson noted there is also a related special curriculum to develop auto battery engineers at U of M in Ann Arbor.

GM VP of engineering Jim Queen said the official opening of the lab is part of GM’s effort to reduce dependence on petroleum reduction, improve fuel economy, and reduce emissions.

He talked of a comprehensive battery strategy to bolster GM’s portfolio of supply partners. In producing hybrids, plugin hybrids and electric cars, McQueen believes electrically-driven vehicles provides the best long term solution. Cells modules and systems will be developed in the lab.

Pack testing in the new lab started in January, nine months ahead of schedule.

Over half the lab is to test cells. Remaining floorspace is for evaluating battery packs, and the lab has 6 megawatts of capacity.

There are 160 test stands for batteries and 42 thermal chambers to duplicate extreme temperatures and humidity.

There is also a battery teardown area to assess competitors benchmarking. Automated systems allow around the clock testing, and there are other facilities in Germany and New York.

Rapid battery testing technological protocols have been developed.

The facility has green technology, and has a center hallway with LED lights and floor made from recycled tires. 90% of the battery electricity testing is returned to the grid and GM is experimenting with wind turbines to help power the lab.

Michigan Governor Granholm said she intends and aspires for Michigan to be the battery capital of the US a reinvention not only of GM but as the state as well. Comments of congratulations were made by Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow.

Full Press Release:
* Reinforces the New GM’s commitment to advanced technology leadership
* Will accelerate the domestic development of advanced battery technology and lead GM’s network of existing battery labs in Honeoye Falls, N.Y.; Warren, Mich.; and Mainz-Kastel, Germany
* Capable of testing all current battery systems, including lithium-ion, as well as new energy storage technologies such as ultracapacitors for GM’s extended-range electric, plug-in, hybrid and fuel cell vehicles

WARREN, Mich. – General Motors expanded its significant battery research and development capabilities today by opening the largest and most technologically advanced battery lab in the United States on its Technical Center campus here.

The new Global Battery Systems Lab will lead GM’s global advanced battery engineering resources and expedite the introduction of electrically driven vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt, as well as plug-in hybrid and hybrid-electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles.

“The new global GM battery lab will benefit consumers across America by helping us advance the development of battery technology in the United States and put cleaner, more efficient vehicles on the road more quickly and affordably,” said Fritz Henderson, GM president and CEO. “Our new lab improves GM’s competitiveness by speeding the development of our hybrid, plug-in and extended-range electric vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt.”

The Global Battery Systems Lab spans 33,000 sq. ft. – four times larger than GM’s previous Tech Center battery lab – and will be used by GM’s growing team of more than 1,000 engineers working on advanced batteries and electrically driven vehicles.

Planning began in December 2007 and construction started in August 2008. Operations began in January – nine months ahead of schedule. The lab became fully functional in May, equipped with 160 test channels and 42 thermal chambers duplicating extreme real-world driving patterns, hot and cold temperatures and calendar life. The lab’s maximum power capacity is 6 megawatts, or enough electricity to provide power to approximately 1,400 homes.

“This facility is state-of-the-art and represents one of the largest and most capable battery test labs in the world,” said Jim Queen, GM group vice president, Global Engineering. “More than half of the lab is dedicated to testing the electrochemical battery cells and their enclosures, known as modules, a capability not available in GM’s previous battery lab. The lab’s remaining floor space is committed to evaluating completed battery packs.”

The Global Battery Systems Lab was built within GM’s Alternative Energy Center facility, and includes many environmentally friendly features such as a center hallway with high-efficiency LED lighting and a floor made from recycled tires. Approximately 90 percent of the electricity used for battery testing can be returned to the local energy grid for use by homeowners and businesses.

Additional new benefits offered by the Global Battery Systems Lab include a thermal shaker table for battery structural integrity testing, a battery teardown area for failure analysis and competitor benchmarking, an integrated test automation system and improved Design of Experiments methodology – an information-gathering exercise that allows GM to perform more thorough battery tests more quickly.

The Global Battery Systems Lab complements GM’s other battery labs in Mainz-Kastel, Germany, Honeoye Falls, N.Y., and the Warren Technical Center’s Research Chemical Engineering facility. The opening of the Global Battery Systems Lab is the latest move in GM’s comprehensive battery strategy, which includes ramping up “in-house” responsibility for advanced battery technology and a broad portfolio of supplier partners.

At the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, GM:

* Announced plans to establish the world’s first lithium-ion battery pack manufacturing plant operated by a major automaker in the U.S.
* Selected LG Chem to supply lithium-ion battery cells, electronic components and control hardware for the Chevrolet Volt
* Signed a joint engineering development contract with Compact Power and LG Chem to further expedite the development of the Volt’s lithium-ion battery technology
* Joined with the University of Michigan to create a new automotive advanced battery lab in Ann Arbor, Mich., and a specialized curriculum within U of M’s College of Engineering to develop automotive battery engineers.

Energy alternatives and advanced technologies that reduce dependence on petroleum, improve fuel economy and reduce emissions are keys to developing sustainable transportation. GM is pursuing several options to best meet the varied needs of customers around the world – from advanced gasoline, diesel and biofuel technology to electrically assisted vehicles such as hybrids, plug-in hybrids and – ultimately – electrically driven extended-range electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. GM believes that electrically driven vehicles, based on battery and hydrogen fuel cell technology, offer the best long-term solution for providing sustainable personal transportation.

Facts: Global Battery Systems Battery Lab

Location

Alternative Energy Center, GM Technical Center, Warren, Mich.

Timing

* Battery system test area operational January, 2009
* Cell and module test area May, 2009

Size

Total floor space: 33,000 sq. ft.

* 14,400 sq. ft. – pack testing and development
* 17,400 sq. ft. – cell and module development
* 2,000 sq. ft. – technical support

Benefits

* Increased pack testing
o 32 cyclers (serve as treadmills for batteries)
o 64 test channels (available for individual battery tests)
o 25 thermal chambers (duplicates extreme temperature conditions)
* New cell and module testing
o 32 cyclers
o 96 test channels
o 16 small thermal chambers
* Environmental control capability – to allow for test correlation and repeatability
o New humidity-controlled walk-in chambers
o New air flow benches to provide specific temperatures and levels of humidity to test air-cooled battery packs
o New coolant chillers to cool or heat liquid-cooled battery packs

Enhanced capability

* Integrated test automation system enables around-the-clock standardized testing, customized test schedules and monitoring tests from desk or at home
* New thermal shaker table for structural integrity testing
* Improved Design of Experiments methodology – an information-gathering exercise that allows GM to perform more thorough battery tests in a shorter period of time
* Battery teardown area for failure analysis and competitor benchmarking

Argonne National Laboratory has been pursuing a research project since mid 2007.  The idea is to blend ultracapcitors with lithium-ion batteries in the energy storage system of a PHEV.  Lithium-ion batteries are particularly good at energy density whereas ultracapacitors are best in terms of power density.  High energy density is needed for traveling long distances, whereas to create short bursts of intense power for rapid acceleration high power density is needed.

The project aims to optimize the combination of both components to maximize efficiency and minimize cost.  At this point, proof of concept of the hardware has been demonstrated.

The lead researcher at ANL Ted Bohn has indicated that “GM has verbally committed to apply this technology on the Chevy Volt energy storage system and to perform lab evaluations.”

This idea isn’t really surprising as AFS Trinity Power has already demonstrated a working prototype of a modified plug-in Saturn VUE which uses a combined lithium-ion/ultracap energy system that delivers more than 150 mpg.

Also GM’s Advanced Battery Director, Denise Gray, has repeatedly described an “open door policy” for evaluating future technologies in GM’s battery lab.

“I’m pushing the envelope from and R&D perspective, there has to be a next generation,” Gray told GM-Volt.com. “It may be a next generation lithium, whether its manganese based, iron phosphate based, combined or another ion.”

“I applaud the research,” she says. “That’s where the breakthroughs are going to happen.”

Of course if EEStor comes through with its breakthrough material combining the best of ultracaps and batteries in the same low cost, low weight, high longevity device, all bets are off.  Investor Zenn Motors has just announced it has independently confirmed that EEStor’s material is able to hold the energy they claim over a wide temperature range.

Source (GreenCarCongress)

There are two major reason why people want electric cars. To achieve energy independence, to help the environment, or both.

While the first benefit can’t be disputed, a newly publicized study suggests that electric car use may actually be worse for the environment.

The study was performed by the group Transport Watch and found that diesel cars produce half as much CO2 as electric cars when the fossil fuel required to make the electricity is taken into account.

The study concludes “We conclude that the notion that electric cars will reduce emissions is a fiction.”

The study also took into account electrical energy leaked lost between the powerplant and the point where the vehicle would be charged. This leakage was estimated to be an astounding 76%. Diesels on the other hand achieve a 45% efficiency.

The research was done in the UK where only 20% of electricity is generated by renewable energy. It was estimated that in China, for example, where most electricity comes from coal, a change from diesel to electric vehicles would double CO2 emissions.

The research implies that burning fuel within the vehicle produces less emissions than creating electricity and sending it down the grid.

A conclusion drawn from this research by Philip Gomm, of the RAC Foundation is; “Electric vehicles are not a panacea. They are good for generating headlines but not necessarily at saving the planet, at least not in the short term. For today and tomorrow, a lot more attention needs to be paid to refining existing petrol and diesel technology, and making cars smaller and lighter as a way of saving fuel – something recognized by the Committee on Climate Change. These are proven solutions to an immediate problem.”

You can check out the details of the study here and draw your own conclusions.

Source (Telegraph)

On March 11th, the world heard about a new breakthrough in lithium-ion battery technology. Researchers Gerbrand Ceder and Byoungwoo Kang created a new technique that gives lithium-ion batteries a 100 fold increase in power density. These new batteries when moved from lab to factory could allow charging at 100 times the speed and release of 100 times the power of batteries in use today.

This technology may apply well to small batteries such as those in a cellphone that one could charge in 10 seconds using typical household current. To recharge an electric car using such a battery at maximum rate, though potentially only taking 5 minutes, would require much more massive currents than whats found in the typical household.  But it could enable the possibility of rapid public charging stations.

In general, electric vehicles (EV) need batteries with high energy density so that they are light and compact and can store many miles worth of driving energy. Power density is also needed to a lesser extent to release sufficient bursts of energy for acceleration and hill-climbing.

Hybrid (HEVs) batteries need better power density to assist the gas engine in high power situations, but energy density is less important. Thus, an automotive battery is usually described in terms of power to energy ratios. A high PE is good for HEVs, EV requirements are lowest, and PHEVs are in between.

GE automotive battery expert Herman Weigman told GM-Volt.com of this new breakthrough “a battery of such high power density is only of interest to HEV’s (and military pulse power applications), where you need to install power capability over a 1~30 second time frame.” He was less enthusiastic about its use in EVs noting “an EV is only interested in Energy Density (Wh/kg and Wh/Liter) and the cost of that energy ($/kWh)… they will never use the (new) technology.”

I was able to obtain a very brief Q & A with Byoungwoo Kang, the key MIT scientist who created the breakthrough battery:

What type of energy density do your cells have, and are they superior in that regard to standard LiFePO4 batteries?
Our development is related to increase power density, not energy density. The energy density of our material is similar with standard LiFePO4 batteries.

What is the total number of cell cycles you have achieved with these?
Under Lab conditions, we tested the cell for at least 100 cycles. At that time, there was no capacity fading.

Do you see these cells being better for HEV or EV automotive applications?
Our strategy sharply increased the power density of the LiFePO4. Also, LiFePO4 has great thermal stability (No Explosion). These properties makes our material more likely feasible for HEV or EV. However, if you see these two properties are more important than others like energy density, our materials can (be used) for portable devices.

A battery research group out of MIT and led by Dr. Gerbrand Ceder just published remarkable research findings in the journal Nature.

The scientists were able to develop a new formulation of lithium iron phosphate that allows for extremely rapid charging, and massive specific power.

In the typical lithium ion cell when a current is applied to charge the cell, lithium ions move away from the cathode compound and are trapped at the anode storage medium. When the battery discharges producing current , those ions travel back to the cathode medium and in so doing produce current flow.

Speed of charging in typical lithium-ion cells is slowed by virtue of the fact that it takes time for the lithium ion to move off the cathode material. Various techniques have been tried to increase that speed including the nanoparticle doping strategy that A123 Systems uses. However recharge times still can take hours, and specific power is limited.

The scientists noted that lithium iron phosphate forms a lattice that creates small tunnels through which the lithium ions flow, but that although the cathode seemed ideal it still took some time for those ions to travel.

The novel solution they devised was to create a lithium phosphate glassy surface to coats these tunnels. This glassy surface acts as a speedway of sorts rapidly transporting the lithium ions on and off the cathode.

The result was startling.

Per the article “extremely high rates can be achieved for the active material: at a 200C rate (corresponding to an 18-s total discharge) more than 100mAh g can still be achieved, and a capacity of 60mAh g is obtained at a 400C rate (9 s to full discharge). Such discharge rates are two orders of magnitude larger than those used in today’s lithium ion batteries.”

The authors note that “Typical power rates for lithium ion battery materials are in the range of 0.5 to 2 kWkg. The specific power we observed for the modified LiFePO4 (170kWkg21 at a 400C rate and 90kWkg at a 200C rate) is two orders of magnitude higher.”

At this point the researchers have only tested the cells to 50 cycles but have noted no degradation.

The authors note that this new ability to charge and discharge lithium-ion batteries within seconds blurs the distinction between batteries and ultracapacitors, and may result in radical lifestyle change in terms of consumer electronic devices and plug-in cars.

Besides being able to charge one’s cellphone in seconds, this will have a major impact on electric cars.

The authors note that if electric grid power was available, an electric car with a 15kWh battery could be charged in 5 minutes.  This would require the delivery of 180 kw of energy in that time frame.  Further those cars could have extremely powerful acceleration and be useful in other power applications such as towing.

Lead author Ceder said “If manufacturers decide they want to go down this road, they could do this in a few years,” and noted the technology has already been licensed by two companies one of which includes, you guessed it, A123 Systems.

Source (Nature) and (ArsTechnica)

The other day we (and many others) reported on a study from Carnegie Mellon which concluded a PHEV with 7 mile electric range like a plug-in Prius was more cost-effective than a series hybrid with 40 miles electric range like the Volt. The primary reason for the study’s conclusion was the prohibitive costs of cutting edge lithium-ion cells assumed to be $1000 per kWh.

Jon Lauckner is the co-creator of the Chevy Volt and GM’s VP of global program management. In an interview and on GM’s FastLane blog he took the study’s authors to task, blasting the report as flawed and defending the decision-making that led to the Volt.

He cited three primary critical flaws of the study that render it worthless.

1. Cost of Cells . Lauckner said the Volt’s lithium-ion cells do not cost $1000/kwh which is the assumption the study made. He said “that’s very high compared to the cost we’re paying today,” referring to the LG Chem cells the Volt is using, “and very, very high compared to the (battery cost) in the near future.” He wouldn’t say exactly what GM is paying but said  “this cost is many hundreds of dollars per kWh higher than the actual cost of the Volt pack today,” and added “our battery team is already starting work on new concepts that will further decrease the cost of the Volt battery pack quite substantially in a second-generation Volt pack.”

2. Government Incentives. Lauckner noted the study did not take into account government incentives.  The already legislated plug-in tax credit pays a base of $2500 for 4 kwh and $417 per kwh up to a maximum of $7500. The Volt would qualify for the full tax credit.  The PHEV-7 3 kwh battery advocated in the study would qualify “for nothing”.

3. Charging Assumptions. The study assumed people could recharge after every 7 miles of driving. Lauckner said “How many people are going to stop every ten miles or less and recharge for a half-hour?” He concluded “very few”.  He also added the fact he also added that a public charging infrastructure  to do so doesn’t even exist at this time. He also noted “And, if customers don’t recharge during the day, these “token” plug-ins will run primarily on gasoline. How is that consistent with reducing green house gas emissions and our dependence on petroleum?”

Lauckner concluded “The bottom line is there isn’t anything in this study that would change the decisions we made for the Chevy Volt.”

Source (Edmunds) and (FastLane)