GM announces Volt battery partner
LG Chem will supply lithium-ion battery cells for the Chevrolet VoltThe Volt, GM/Chevrolet's plug-in hybrid, has moved another step closer to production following an announcement by GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner at the North American International Auto Show.
Wagoner told the media that the lithium-ion battery cells for the Chevrolet Volt would be outsourced to South Korean specialist, LG Chem. The batteries would then be assembled into modular packs by a new GM-operated facility to be built in Michigan.
Until the facility has been built, a subsidiary of LG Chem, Compact Power Inc., will assemble the battery packs for pre-production vehicles at its Troy, Michigan plant. GM anticipates that the in-house battery pack plant will be completed in time for production of the car to commence. Construction work for the facility is due to begin shortly and vehicle production is scheduled for 2010.
"This is a further demonstration of our commitment to the electrification of the automobile and to the Chevrolet Volt -- a commitment that now totals more than $1 billion," said Wagoner.
To date, GM has been testing battery cells supplied by LG Chem over the past 16 months and the results have satisfied the car company that LG Chem has the necessary expertise to do the job.
"Our selection of LG Chem was based on performance, production readiness, efficiency, durability and LG Chem's demonstrated track record of exceptional quality," said Wagoner.
Battery power is a critical element of the Volt, which will relies on reserves stored in these battery packs for motive power. As with other plug-in hybrids under development by multinational car companies such as Toyota and Hyundai, the Volt is fundamentally an electric vehicle with an internal-combustion engine as a 'range extender' -- a power source to recharge the batteries for a longer range.
For short trips (up to 40 miles -- 64km), the Volt can run on electric power alone, supplied from the lithium-ion battery pack. Beyond that range, the on-board internal combustion engine will automatically kick in to generate power sufficient to keep the batteries charged. If the car travels less than 64km, it can be regcharged from AC mains power distribution .
In the Volt application, the battery pack will weigh as much as 181kg and measure 1.8 metres in length.
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