Though Chevy hasn’t officially chosen battery supplier for its upcoming Volt, A123 Systems is a strong contender. Its unique lithium-ion battery has attracted millions from investors who are betting on a jump in energy storage capacity, better safety, and longer endurance.

A123 claims that its battery will “store more than twice as much energy as nickel-metal hydride batteries, the type used in today’s hybrid cars,” according to Technology Review. That’s just about enough to power a Chevy Volt for 40 miles before needing any gas.

Because its batteries use different materials like nanoparticles of lithium iron and lithium iron phosphate, A123 is able to manufacture a batter that are very unlikely to catch fire, even if disfigured during an accident. The company predicts its batteries will outlast the life of the car.

Might it be possible to keep a battery for  10 years and switch it between vehicles?

The Chevy Volt isn’t the only deal A123 is targeting, so far it’s gained $148 million in venture capital and is “pursuing an ambitious business plan that calls for it to do everything from perfecting the material to manufacturing batteries and selling them to customers in the auto and power-tool industries.”

Battery technology is the biggest innovation with the Chevy Volt, which hopes to win over customers who shied away from EV1’s low range, crowded trunk space and slow top speed.

With J.D. Power and Associates predicting that GM will sell 300,000 Chevy Volts by 2014, I hope A123’s batteries will live up to the hype.

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Entry was posted on Thursday, May 1st, 2008 at 7:58 pm under Science and technology, Technology.

Read more entries by Matt Jansen.
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