Industry News
Continental and GM to co-develop lithium ion battery technology
25th June 2007
Continental Automotive Systems announced on Thursday 21 June that General Motors has awarded it a co-development contract to design and build prototype battery systems for the Chevrolet Volt “E-Flex” electric vehicle propulsion system. In an effort to speed time-to-market the companies will jointly explore various aspects of lithium ion battery technology.
Continental has more than 10 years experience developing automotive-grade batteries and is scheduled to deploy the lithium technology in a production vehicle next year. In 2003 it pioneered with GM the first production hybrid drivetrain for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Hybrids. The company has a hybrid development centre in Berlin.
The Chevrolet Volt “E-Flex” electric vehicle propulsion system has the ability to adapt from a pure battery electric with range extension (using an advanced internal combustion engine as a generator) all the way to a fully functional fuel cell electric vehicle.
- A news agency report so far unconfirmed by the French battery maker Saft or its hybrid powertrain partner Johnson Controls said late last week that Saft had won a contract – the world’s first – to produce lithium ion batteries for a series production car, from next year.
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