Celgard Receives $2.3M Development Contract from USABC for Li-ion Separator Technology

3 December 2008

Celgard, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polypore International, Inc., has received a $2.3 million contract from the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) to develop separator technology for lithium-ion batteries for hybrid-electric (HEV) and plug-in hybrid-electric (PHEV) vehicles.

The 18-month cost-share contract involves demonstrating performance characteristics of high-temperature melt integrity (HTMI) lithium-ion battery separators, focusing on abuse tolerances, production process definition and scale-up parameters. A standard definition and protocol for measuring HTMI will also be developed as a part of this contract.

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Chrysler Asking for $7B Bridge Loan from Congress; Production of More Than 500,000 Electric-Drive Vehicles by 2013

3 December 2008

Chrysler is asking Congress for a $7 billion secured working capital bridge loan by 31 December 31, 2008 to support ongoing operations as it continues to restructure its business, according to a summary of the presentation to be made by Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli on 4 December. Like Ford (earlier post) and GM (earlier post), Chrysler cited the “unprecedented” drop in vehicle sales caused by the financial crisis as the fundamental cause of its financial distress.

Chrysler’s viability plan includes 24 major product launches through 2012, including a wide portfolio of hybrid electric-drive vehicles within several categories: Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV), City Electric Vehicles (CEV), Range-extended Electric Vehicles (ReEV), and full-function battery electric vehicles (BEV).

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GM Requests $12B in Term Loan and $6B Revolving Line of Credit from Congress; Plan Outlines Increased Production of Fuel-Efficient and Alt Energy Vehicles

3 December 2008

During the four-year plan window, GM will invest approximately $2.9 billion in alternative fuel and advanced propulsion technologies; more than $2B of that goes to hybrid and EREV platforms; 26% of the total ($758M) goes to EREVs alone). Click to enlarge.

GM is asking Congress for term loans of up to $12 billion to provide adequate liquidity levels through 31 December 2009. In a four-year Restructuring Plan submitted to Congress, GM said it anticipates an initial draw of $4 billion in December 2008, another $4 billion in January 2009, and a third draw of up to $2 billion in the February-March time frame based on recent market developments, for a total draw of $10 billion by the end of the first quarter.

In addition to the bridge loans, the company is requesting a $6 billion line of credit to provide liquidity should a severe market downturn persist. GM’s intent is to begin to repay the loans as soon as 2011. Warrants issued as part of the loans would allow taxpayers to benefit from growth in the company’s share price that might result from successful completion of the plan.

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US Light Duty Vehicle Sales Plunge 36.7% in November

2 December 2008

Market share of light trucks climbed back up to 51.9% in November. Click to enlarge.

Total US sales of light-duty vehicles (LDV) plunged 36.7% in November from November 2007 to 746,789 units, according to figures from Autodata. There were 25 selling days in November 2008 and November 2007. Year-to-date, total LDV sales are down 16.3% from 2007.

Sales of passenger cars dropped 36.5% year-on-year, while sales of light trucks dropped 36.9% year-on-year. The market share of new light trucks in November pushed back up to 51.9%—the highest level since February. Year-to-date passenger car sales are down 8.3%, while year-to-date truck sales are down 23.4%.

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Coulomb Technologies Showcasing SAE J1772 Networked Charging Stations for Plug-in Vehicles

2 December 2008

The prototype J1772 unit. Click to enlarge.

Coulomb Technologies (earlier post) is showcasing prototypes of Level 2 high power networked charging stations that will comply with the new SAE J1772 Electric Vehicle Conductive Charge Coupler Specification at the EDTA conference 2-4 December in Washington, DC.

SAE has been making modifications to the older J1772 REV NOV 2001 standard, moving toward a smaller (and less expensive) coupler made by Yazaki to replace the former Avcon connector. The new SAE J1772 standard is being finalized now, and may be balloted by the first quarter of 2009.

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Ford Asks Congress for $9B Stand-By Line of Credit; Commercial BEV by 2010, BEV Sedan by 2011

2 December 2008

Overview of Ford’s technology sustainability plan. Click to enlarge.

Ford Motor Company this morning submitted to Congress a business plan detailing a pathway to profitability and requested a “stand-by” line of credit in the amount of up to $9 billion at Government borrowing rates, for a 10-year term, with TARP conditions, in case the current economic crisis worsens or there is a bankruptcy of a major competitor. (TARP is the $700-billion Troubled Assets Relief Program for the financial sector.)

Ford said it will accelerate the transformation of its North American automotive business through aggressive restructuring actions and the introduction of more fuel-efficient vehicles—including a broader range of hybrid-electric vehicles and the introduction of advanced plug-in hybrids and full electric vehicles.

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European Parliament and Council Reach Agreement on Automotive CO₂ Regulations

2 December 2008

Following a series of meetings between Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and the French Presidency of the Council, the two sides have informally agreed upon the details of future targets on CO₂ emissions from cars. The compromise identifies a longer-term reduction target; allows phased-in implementation of the shorter-term target; and reduces proposed penalties against carmakers that exceed the limits.

The informal compromise is based on the Commission’s proposed target of an average of 120g of CO₂/km for new passenger cars (M1 category) by 2012, compared to the current levels of 160 g/km. A target of 130g/km is to be reached by improvements in vehicle motor technology; the subsequent 10g/km reduction is to come from other technological improvements and by an increased use of sustainable biofuels. Key elements of the compromise include:

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Delphi Direct Acting Piezo Injector Debuts on the Mercedes C250 CDI

1 December 2008

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