Argonne Forms Li Ion Battery Alliance

Argonne National Laboratory has joined with fourteen battery and advanced materials companies to form the National Alliance For Advanced Transportation Battery Cell Manufacture (NAATBCM). The group will work together to manufacture Li-ion cells for automotive applications.

The members of the alliance include Argonne National Laboratory, 3M, ActaCell, All Cell Technologies, Altair Nanotechnologies, Dontech Global, EaglePicher Corporation, EnerSys, Envia Systems, FMC, MicroSun Technologies, Mobius Power, SiLyte, Superior Graphite and Townsend Advanced Energy. The NAATBCM anticipates that other companies will join the alliance in the near future.

Argonne National Laboratory will serve in an advisory capacity to the group. The NAATBCM plans to build one or more shared manufacturing and prototype development centers in the US. The effort is expected to require as much as $2 billion over five years and will enable the alliance members to take better advantage of available government support.

The alliance is modeled after Sematech, a joint venture among semiconductor manufacturers in the US in the 1980's. The group plans to invite US auto and truck manufacturers, as well as governmental entities like the Department of Defense to serve on its advisory board.

Source and photo: Argonne National Laboratory