Automakers Hope Sparks Donât Fly After Latest Laptop-Battery Flareup
By Michelle Krebs January 11, 2008By Bill Visnic
In a story posted on Edmundsâ Green Car Advisor, automakers voice their concern that recent laptop computer battery fires donât lead to safety concerns for batteries in hybrid cars.
The latest such incident, reported earlier this week, was with a computer outfitted with a lithium-ion battery manufactured by Koreaâs LG Chem â one of two battery makers General Motors Corp. has charged with developing the lithium-ion battery pack for a production version of its tirelessly-touted Chevrolet Volt hybrid-electric vehicle.
The recurring incidences of lithium-ion battery fires in laptops is what led Toyota Motor Corp. to delay introduction of the new battery chemistry for its hybrid-electric vehicles â most notably the best-selling Prius â it was reported earlier this year.
But the Volt â and by association, its potential battery suppliers â is particularly under the microscope because of GMâs full-speed-ahead charge to develop the flashy plug-in hybrid in record time. That includes a feet-to-the-fire program with its battery makers, because no volume-production hybrid or electric vehicle has yet used lithium-ion in the way planned for the Volt: up to a 40-mile range strictly on battery power.
Experts tell Green Car Advisor what they think happened with the latest computer fire incident and how they will safeguard against such situations when these batteries go into hybrids.
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If they can get Lithium-Polymer up to the energy densities they need, that could be the way to go. Li-ion batteries have had a long standing problem with internal battery shorts causing fires - has to do with vibration and rough handling. Cars would not be the ideal platform for such technology.
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