Battery Group Seeks Proposals From Big 3

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SOUTHFIELD —The United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC (USABC), an organization whose members are Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Company and General Motors, has issued requests for proposal information (RFPIs) for two advanced battery development projects.

The two RFPIs, for consideration of contracts that will include a 50 percent minimum cost share by developers, are for: development of advanced high-performance electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries used in vehicle applications; and development of advanced high-performance batteries for 12-volt start-stop vehicle applications.

The RFPIs for advanced battery development are aimed at developers with electrolyte and/or electrochemical energy storage technologies that are capable of meeting or approaching the USABC long-term criteria for vehicle applications.

Since 1991, USABC has carried out a number of battery development programs focusing on low-cost, long-life, high-energy/power technologies, including several programs for which the development of improved electrolytes was critical to the program’s success. In recognition of the importance of the electrolyte to advanced battery systems.

Among the criteria, all developers submitting proposals will be required to have demonstration hardware and test results available. They also will need to demonstrate the potential to develop a commercially viable business that can produce sufficient volumes and provide engineering and testing support to meet automotive and implementation requirements.

The deadline for both RFPIs is Friday, July 27, 2012.

For complete and detailed information on each of the RFPIs, visit the USABC pages of the United States Council for Automotive Research LLC (USCAR) website at www.uscar.org/usabc or contact Eric Heim, USABC business manager, at eric@eheimconsulting.com