Tom, I wish I new the answer to your question about the Panasonic NiMH batteries to be used by Toyota for their new power train. The key sentence from the news release you posted is:
"Toyota equipped the new power train with a newly developed nickel-metal hydride battery that can generate the same levels of power as its older version despite a 40% cut in its volume and a 20% weight reduction."
This is a somewhat ambiguous statement. Does it refer to a new NiMH battery (one that would have to be based on new basic technology since Panasonic/Matsushita are not licensed from ECD)? Or, is the "older version" a reference to another type of battery (advanced lead-acid, perhaps) that was used earlier?
Wouldn't the achievement of a commercial-stage, new-technology NiMH battery by Panasonic have been announced separately and earlier than now? Perhaps, instead, Panasonic has simply produced an improved version of their old NiMH technology, which would not violate the ECD patents. I think their NiMH batteries produced about 60 WH/Kg, so an increase of 20% would put them at 72 WH/Kg -- not very competitive, EXCEPT for cost. This, the cost, is IMO the main reason why our batteries are not being used more in vehicles. GM could have solved this problem simply by assuming the costs and risks of selling the GM-Ovonic batteries at, initially, a loss to capture market share -- like Japanese companies are wont to do. Stupid, if not shameful, behavior on GM's part, IMO. |
