THE BOOM IN VEHICLE BATTERIES

Electric Vehicle Batteries; Lithium Ion Batteries for Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid, and Battery Electric Light Duty Vehicles: Market Analysis and Forecasts

1Q 2013 (Pike Research/Navigant)

“Global automotive manufacturers are accelerating their efforts to produce more vehicles utilizing electric drivetrains…[because of] newly enacted fuel economy standards, greater confidence in electric powered vehicles, and advances in battery technology…

“In 2012, Toyota introduced the fifth-generation Prius, powered for the first time with lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries. The shift from nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries to Li-ion represents a major endorsement of this chemistry as well as its ability to perform consistently in an automotive environment.”

click to enlarge

“The immediate future looks to be secure for the Li-ion chemistry, although there are many variants still under development to improve performance and reduce cost…

“…[L]eading battery cell manufacturers have built new factories utilizing the latest production techniques including greater automation and faster throughput. Pike Research forecasts that the overall market for Li-ion batteries in light duty transportation will grow from $1.6 billion in 2012 to almost $22 billion in 2020.”

Tweet