Important news about LiFePO4 and price per kWh to come!

[Doctorbass]

about that article one suggest with easy calculations that the price per kWh could be around 250$ soon!!

A future electric car sold 22000us$ able to make 100km, the F3DM from BYD should be availlable soon

Full battery-powered EV mode;
Series-hybrid mode, in which an engine drives a generator as a range-extender; and
Parallel hybrid mode, in which the engine and motor both provide propulsive power.
BYD Auto, which is a subsidiary of China-based BYD Group, the leading provider of NiCd batteries (65% global market share) and lithium-ion cell phone batteries (30% global market share), uses lithium-ion iron phosphate cells from its parent company in its energy storage system.

BYD says the F3DM has a range of 100 km (62 miles) on battery power alone with a top speed of 160 kph (99 mph). The 330V, 40 Ah Li-ion pack has life of more than 2,000 cycles, according to BYD Auto. On a household 220V power supply, a full recharge takes 8 to 9 hours.

The DM powertrain incorporates BYD’s own 50 kW 3-cylinder, 1.0-liter BYD371QA aluminum engine, and has a combined maximum output of 125 kW.

BYD Auto says it plans to begin production of all-electric vehicles in 2009.

December 15, 2008 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (35) | TrackBack (0)

Comments
This is extremely important and wonderful news. It is the strongest indication yet that it is indeed possibly to produce a nice high-way capable car with four seats and much more than 100 mpg for only 22,000 USD including profits and without a lease for the battery.

They have a 330*40 = 13.2 kWh battery probably 20kWh in total and 13.2 kWh of usable energy to preserve the 2000 cycle life or 2000*62 = 124,000 miles which is about 10 years of ordinary use. Assuming they need a 20kWh battery and 5000 USD for that battery (it cannot be much more with 22,000 for the entire car) it means BYD has found a way to manufacture LiFePO4 batteries for 250 USD per kWh. This is on par with lead acid batteries but with a battery that lasts 3 times longer in terms of cycles and is 3 times more energy dense than lead acid.

Tesla wrote auto history by being the first company to deliver a real EV car to consumer. But BYD is going to turn the auto industry upside down with their cars if these prices hold water also in volume production. Also note that they are 2 years ahead in terms of development with regard to other serious auto makers. They will be building a nice portfolio of patents that will prevent other from copying them cheaply. BYD is going to be bigger than GE in a decade or two IMO


I am curious to see when we will have the possibility to get these battery for that price!!

Doc

 

[gogo]

That could explain why Western companies don't seem to be interested in that segment of the automotive market.

 

[recumbent]

The raw materials to make LIFEPO4 batteries are supposed to be plentyfull, more and more factories are realizing the potential, plus gasoline prices are tumbling.

This is good news for us consumers. Wish it would happen faster, like in three months.

 

[Russell]

Hmmm...how would you like to put together a battery from these cells?



The car won't be available outside of China for another 2 years.

http://rumors.automobilemag.com/6413616/news/byd-auto-delays-us-launch-of-electric-car/index.html


-R

 

[Zoot Katz]

The car won't be available outside of China for another 2 years.

From what I've seen of Chinese drivers, the batteries will be in plentiful supply at their wreckers' yards long before that.

 

[Lowell]

The car won't be available outside of China for another 2 years.

From what I've seen of Chinese drivers, the batteries will be in plentiful supply at their wreckers' yards long before that.

:lol:

Maybe we'll be able to buy them off Ebay...

 

[Toshi]

They have a 330*40 = 13.2 kWh battery probably 20kWh in total and 13.2 kWh of usable energy to preserve the 2000 cycle life or 2000*62 = 124,000 miles which is about 10 years of ordinary use. Assuming they need a 20kWh battery and 5000 USD for that battery (it cannot be much more with 22,000 for the entire car) it means BYD has found a way to manufacture LiFePO4 batteries for 250 USD per kWh. This is on par with lead acid batteries but with a battery that lasts 3 times longer in terms of cycles and is 3 times more energy dense than lead acid.

i think your assumptions are off, particularly in ascribing "only" $5k of the car cost to a battery of unknown capacity. the rest of the car could well be only $5k in materials for what we know, leaving $10k for this hypothetical battery, thus changing your conclusions drastically. furthermore, OEMs getting/making big batteries for cheap does not imply hobbyists getting similar but small batteries for anywhere near the same price/energy figure.

 

[paultrafalgar]

It's unethical to waste batteries like that in cars. It should be regarded as our civic duty to liberate them for use in ebikes!