Bolivia may become the Saudi Arabia of lithium
The 12-volt lead-acid battery used in traditional automotive applications has given way to higher energy density batteries as the automobile industry moves toward further electrification. The advent of hybrid electric vehicles in the past decade gave way to mass production of nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries in automobiles, which have twice the energy density of lead-acid batteries. Now the demand for long range electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in the coming decade is giving way to mass production of lithium-ion batteries in automobiles with twice the energy density of Ni-MH batteries. The lithium ion battery offers 100-150 Watt hours per kilogram, Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) offers 65-70 Wh/kg, and lead-acid offers 30-40 Wh/kg.
NY Times reports that almost half of the world’s lithium, the mineral needed to power plug-in hybrid or electric vehicles, is found in Bolivia. Read more
BYD Adds Plug-In as China Gets Edge on Toyota, GM
Dec. 15 (Bloomberg) — BYD Co., the Chinese automaker backed by Warren Buffett, started selling the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid, gaining an edge on Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Corp. in electric-powered vehicles.
The F3 DM can run for 100 kilometers (62 miles) using only batteries, Shenzhen-based BYD said in a statement today. Toyota plans to begin testing plug-ins, which can be recharged from household powerpoints, late next year, it said in August. GM aims to start selling the Volt plug-in in late 2010.
Play video of F3 DM car.
Financial bailout bill passes with tax credits for renewable energy, PHEVs, bike racks
The bill’s renewable energy tax break incentives include:
– An eight-year extension of investment credits for solar energy, as well as breaks for wind, geothermal and other alternative sources.
Other tax breaks in the bill:
– A tax credit for purchasers of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles with a battery pack of at least 4 kWh of capacity (effectively excluding the first generation of Toyota plug-in hybrids). This credit is $2,500 plus $417 for each kWh of battery pack capacity in excess of 4 kWh, to a maximum of $7,500 for light-duty vehicles, and up to $15,000 for vehicles weighting more than 26,000 pounds. The Chevy Volt has a 16-kWh battery pack, so it would get the maximum credit. Cost: $758 million.
– A tax deduction for employers expenses on some fringe benefits for workers who commute to work by bicycle, for example reimbursing the cost of parking the bikes. Cost: $2 million.
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EIA: Retail Prices
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