DetroitMan
01-08-2009, 12:36 AM
Lithium ion battery producer plans Southeast Michigan plant
By Ryan Beene Crain's Detroit Business
January 7, 2009
Boston-based A123 Systems Inc. said today it plans to build a lithium ion battery plant in Southeast Michigan to build advanced batteries for hybrid electric vehicles.
The company is still looking for a specific location, but its local facility would be the first in the company’s planned network of advanced battery manufacturing operations in the U.S. At full production, the network is designed to provide battery systems for 5 million hybrid vehicles or 500,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2013.
“We’re entering an exciting new phase for the automotive industry where we increase the electrification of vehicles, reducing consumption of gasoline through advanced batteries,” A123 Systems CEO David Vieau said in a statement. “This new facility would greatly accelerate this change and help ensure that the American economy replaces its dependence on foreign oil with reliance on advanced, homegrown batteries.”
To jumpstart production and construction, A123 has applied for $1.84 billion in federal loans under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program. The DOE’s program was designed to spur domestic development of advanced technology, fuel-efficient vehicles.
No timeline for the construction has been set, as it depends on DOE loan approval.
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090107/FREE/901079970
By Ryan Beene Crain's Detroit Business
January 7, 2009
Boston-based A123 Systems Inc. said today it plans to build a lithium ion battery plant in Southeast Michigan to build advanced batteries for hybrid electric vehicles.
The company is still looking for a specific location, but its local facility would be the first in the company’s planned network of advanced battery manufacturing operations in the U.S. At full production, the network is designed to provide battery systems for 5 million hybrid vehicles or 500,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2013.
“We’re entering an exciting new phase for the automotive industry where we increase the electrification of vehicles, reducing consumption of gasoline through advanced batteries,” A123 Systems CEO David Vieau said in a statement. “This new facility would greatly accelerate this change and help ensure that the American economy replaces its dependence on foreign oil with reliance on advanced, homegrown batteries.”
To jumpstart production and construction, A123 has applied for $1.84 billion in federal loans under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program. The DOE’s program was designed to spur domestic development of advanced technology, fuel-efficient vehicles.
No timeline for the construction has been set, as it depends on DOE loan approval.
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20090107/FREE/901079970
