could this be good news for the e vehical market

[diver]

new battery plant info

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20080813/NEWS/188039929/1003/NEWS&title=Electro_Energy_is_gearing_up_in_the_old_Alachua_Energizer_plant

 

[Link]

Electro Energy is gearing up in the old Alachua Energizer plant

By Anthony Clark
Sun business editor

Published: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at 9:43 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 at 9:43 a.m.
A battery company gearing up for mass production in the old Energizer plant south of Alachua got a pledge from Rep. Cliff Stearns for help competing for federal contracts and research funding during a tour Tuesday.

After two years at the plant, Danbury, Conn.-based Electro Energy has taken its first orders for its rechargeable lithium ion battery - a standard in consumer electronics such as laptops and cell phones - and is ramping up to produce hundreds of thousands a month with 50 employees by year's end.

The plant currently employs 30.

Within a couple years, Electro Energy could be producing 3 million batteries a month with 150 employees in high paying, high tech jobs in Alachua, according to Michael Reed, president and CEO.

Long-term, he said the plant could further expand into larger batteries for auto and utility industries, with hundreds of employees, making it the largest such battery manufacturer in the U.S.

But first, the company is seeking help getting federal contracts to compete with the Asian manufacturers that dominate the battery market and get major subsidies from their governments, according to Electro Energy lobbyist James Albertine.

Stearns, sixth district Republican, said he would write the Department of Energy so Electro Energy can get a meeting to compete for funding.

Congress has appropriated funding through the department for battery development, including collaboration with the auto industry.

Much of that funding has gone to foreign companies with American headquarters or American companies that use foreign manufacturers, Albertine said.

As consumers become more dependent on batteries for a variety of products and batteries become prevalent in vehicles and to stabilize the utility grid, the issue of foreign manufacturing becomes a security issue, Reed said.

"We would be trading an oil energy security issue for a battery security issue," he said.

Stearns said he is interested in changing "Buy American" legislation to close a loophole that allows subcontracting offshore for federal contracts.

Stearns' visit was part of an alternative energy tour he arranged Tuesday that also included research projects seeking federal funding at the University of Florida.

He toured a biomass energy lab and discussed solar energy research.

Later, he visited the genetics and brain institutes.

"We're just trying to see what they have here and certainly to see if we can continue to promote it to not only create jobs but also use the research capabilities of the University of Florida to advance an energy program in this country," he said.

Stearns is running for reelection against Democrat Tim Cunha.

Cunha could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but his Web site says he supports expansion of solar power and would push to make UF a leading research center for developing solar energy.

He advocates independence of foreign energy sources no later than 2020.

Largest lithium battery manufacturer in the U.S.? Sounds good to me...

 

[TylerDurden]

Largest lithium battery manufacturer in the U.S.? Sounds good to me...

Only 3hrs from Sebring...

they could dust off the Citicar "factory" too.

Lithium EVs for 4,000 bucks... if you want heat, just overdraw the liCo.

 

[Link]

if you want heat, just overdraw the liCo.

Bring marshmallows and gas masks. :wink: