A123Systems
Encyclopedia
A123 Systems develops and manufactures advanced lithium-ion (lithium iron phosphate
) batteries and battery systems for the transportation, electric grid and commercial markets. The company has about 2,500 employees globally and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts
. Founded in 2001 by Dr. Yet-Ming Chiang, Dr. Bart Riley and Ric Fulop, A123 Systems’ proprietary Nanophosphate technology is built on breakthrough nanoscale materials initially developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
. In 2009, the company was included on the Guardian
's "Global Cleantech 100" list. A123 was also selected to Technology Review Magazine’s list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies 2011, which identifies the world's most innovative technology companies highlights businesses whose work is changing industries and lives.
Passenger vehicles
Commercial truck, bus, and off-highway
Racing
uses A123 systems batteries in its VPX and DeWalt
power tool lines.
's Karma
with Ace Investments and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
The company has formed a joint venture with Shanghai Automotive to manufacture its batteries in China
.
Lithium iron phosphate battery
The lithium iron phosphate battery, also called LFP battery, is a type of rechargeable battery, specifically a lithium-ion battery, which uses LiFePO4 as a cathode material.-History:...
) batteries and battery systems for the transportation, electric grid and commercial markets. The company has about 2,500 employees globally and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts
Waltham, Massachusetts
Waltham is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, was an early center for the labor movement, and major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution. The original home of the Boston Manufacturing Company, the city was a prototype for 19th century industrial city planning,...
. Founded in 2001 by Dr. Yet-Ming Chiang, Dr. Bart Riley and Ric Fulop, A123 Systems’ proprietary Nanophosphate technology is built on breakthrough nanoscale materials initially developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. In 2009, the company was included on the Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
's "Global Cleantech 100" list. A123 was also selected to Technology Review Magazine’s list of the 50 Most Innovative Companies 2011, which identifies the world's most innovative technology companies highlights businesses whose work is changing industries and lives.
History
- In November 2005, A123 Systems announced a new higher power, faster recharging lithium-ion battery system based on doped nanophosphate materials licensed from MIT.
- In December 2006, the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
(DOE) awarded the company a $15 million development contract to optimize A123 Systems' proprietary doped nano-phosphatePhosphateA phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
battery technology for hybrid electric vehicleHybrid electric vehicleA hybrid electric vehicle is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional...
applications with a focus on power, abuse tolerance, durability and cost. USABC is an organization composed of Chrysler LLC Corporation, Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, and General Motors Corporation.
- In May 2007, BAE SystemsBAE SystemsBAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
announced that, starting in 2008, it would offer A123 Systems' lithium-ion battery technology as part of its HybriDrive Propulsion System used in the 2008 version of the Daimler Orion VII hybrid electric busHybrid electric busA hybrid electric bus combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. These type of buses normally use a diesel-electric powertrain and are also known as hybrid diesel-electric buses....
es. As of September 7, 2009, more than 3,000 of the buses were in service.
- In May 2008, the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
(DOE) awarded the company a $12.5 million contract to develop its lithium ion battery technology for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
- On March 5, 2008, General ElectricGeneral ElectricGeneral Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, A123 Systems, and Think Global announced that the three firms had entered a partnership to enable global electrification of transportation. GE invested 20 million in A123 Systems to help them roll out batteries for Think. A123 Systems and Think at the same time signed a commercial supply agreement. The partnership was announced at the 78th annual international Motor Show in Geneva.
- In January 2009, the company announced that it had applied to the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan ProgramAdvanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan ProgramAdvanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program is a $25 billion direct loan program funded by Congress in fall 2008 to provide debt capital to the U.S. automotive industry for the purpose of funding projects that help vehicles manufactured in the U.S. meet higher mileage requirements and...
(ATVMLP) for US $1.84 billion in direct loans to support the construction of new lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities in the United States, locating the first plant in southeast MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
near Detroit. The company later won a $249 million grant to build production facilities in Romulus and Livonia, Mich.
- In April 2009, Chrysler LLC announced a contract with A123 to supply batteries to their Envi (automobile)Envi (automobile)ENVI was a division of Chrysler Group LLC formed in 2007 to create electric-drive vehicles and related advanced-propulsion technologies.- Birth and dissolution :...
batteries.
- The company raised $380 million going public on the NASDAQ stock exchange with ticker symbol AONE on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 priced at $13.50 per share.
- In December 2009, A123 formed a joint venture with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation(SAIC), the largest automaker in China. This was the first JV between a Chinese automaker and a non-Chinse battery supplier. The new venture is called Advanced Traction Battery Systems (ATBS).
- In August 2010, A123's co-founder Professor Yet-Ming Chiang spun a new company out of A123 called 24M Technologies, which makes technology that combines concepts in current lithium ion batteries with flow batteries, where tanks of liquid electrolytes combine to create an electrical current.
- In September 2010, A123 openened the largest lithium ion battery manufacturing facility in North America in Livonia, Mich. When fully operational, the factory is expected to be capable of producing battery packs for the equivalent of up to 30,000 electric cars per year.
- In March 2011, A123 received its third contract from the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
(DOE): an $8 million advanced battery development contract for A123 to continue developing its Nanophosphate® lithium ion battery systems to meet USABC’s target application for a Power-Assist Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PAHEV) Low-Energy Energy Storage System (LEESS).
Transportation
A123 Systems cells have garnered interest in the automotive market due to their power, safety and durability features.Passenger vehicles
- Fisker KarmaFisker KarmaThe Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid luxury sports sedan produced by Fisker Automotive and manufactured at Valmet Automotive in Finland. The United States Environmental Protection Agency rated the Karma's combined city/highway fuel economy at equivalent in all-electric mode, and at in...
, a plug-in hybrid.
- Tokyo, Japan taxis. Better Place is running a demonstration proj ect with three electric taxis powered by A123 Systems batteries.
- The Roewe 750 hybrid, the Roewe 550 plug-in hybrid and a yet-to-be-announced Roewe-brand all-electric vehicle from Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC), the largest automaker in China
- Chevrolet Spark EVChevrolet Spark EVThe Chevrolet Spark EV is a prototype city electric car developed by the Chevrolet division of General Motors and first shown to the public at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show. The Spark EV is scheduled to be sold in select U.S. and global markets beginning in 2013 in low volumes...
, a cityCity carA city car is a small car intended for use primarily in an urban area.City cars are sold worldwide and most automotive industry manufacturers have one or two in their line-up. In North-America city cars are often referred to simply as "subcompacts" alongside the superminis. These kind of cars...
electric carElectric carAn electric car is an automobile which is propelled by electric motor, using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device. Electric cars were popular in the late-19th century and early 20th century, until advances in internal combustion engine technology and mass...
to be produced by General MotorsGeneral MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
and scheduled to be sold in low volumes at select U.S. (including California) and global markets beginning in 2013.
- In May 2011, A123 introduced a lithium ion 12V engine starter battery designed as a lighter-weight, longer-lasting and more environmentally friendly drop-in replacement for lead acid batteries. A123's A123's Nanophosphate® Engine Start Battery was selected to R&D Magazine’s 2011 R&D 100, which salutes the 100 most technologically significant products introduced into the marketplace over the past year.
Commercial truck, bus, and off-highway
- Navistar InternationalNavistar InternationalNavistar International Corporation is a United States-based holding company that owns the manufacturer of International brand commercial trucks, MaxxForce brand diesel engines, IC Bus school and commercial buses, Workhorse brand chassis for motor homes and step vans, and is a private label...
EStar: Electric VehicleElectric VehicleThe Electric Vehicle was an American automobile manufactured only in 1899. An electric cab, it was widely used in New York City; the company pioneered the use of pressed steel for wheels, and its cars featured front-wheel drive and brakes and rear wheel steering.-See also:* Battery electric...
(EV) delivery vehicle
- Daimler Buses North America (Orion VII). The number one selling hybrid electric busHybrid electric busA hybrid electric bus combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. These type of buses normally use a diesel-electric powertrain and are also known as hybrid diesel-electric buses....
in the world. Operating in New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Dallas and other major cities.
- Eaton: Plug-in hybrid Trouble Truck based on Ford F550 http://ir.a123systems.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=468811
- Smith Electric VehiclesSmith Electric VehiclesSmith Electric Vehicles is the world's leading manufacturers of electric commercial vehicles; battery-powered vans, and trucks Smith Electric Vehicles has always focused on the commercial vehicle market – it does not produce electric cars and has never done so.In 2011 after its United States...
Newton, an all-electric zero-emission deliery truck
- ALTe, a maker of range-extended hybrid electric powertrain systems targeting the light-duty truck market
Racing
- Formula 1 KERS System
- KillacycleKillacycleThe KillaCycle is an electrically powered motorcycle purpose-built for drag racing. It was built and is managed by a small motorworks team owned and run by Bill Dubé...
, formerly the worlds quickest electric vehicle, capable of accelerating from 0–100 km/h (0–62.1 ) in less than 1 second.
- Ohio State University's Buckeye BulletBuckeye BulletThe Buckeye Bullet is the name of a series of student-built, alternative-fuel race cars created by The Ohio State University students led by Dr. Giorgio Rizzoni at the Center for Automotive Research...
, an electric landspeed racer powered by A123's batteries, broke the international electric vehicle speed record in August 2010, reaching 307.666 m.p.h.
- In May 2011, A123 signed an agreement with Mavizen, a leader in electric motorcycle racing technology, by which Mavizen will make A123's battery technology available for [TTXGP]] racing and other two-wheel motorsports.
Electric Grid
- In November 2008, A123 entered into the electric grid market by delivering its first battery energy storage system to AES CorporationAES CorporationAES Corporation is a Fortune 500 company that generates and distributes electrical power. The company was founded on January 28, 1981, as Applied Energy Services by Roger Sant from the US Federal Energy Administration and Dennis Bakke from the Office of Management and Budget. AES Corporation is...
for use at several AES substations in Southern California.
- In November 2009, A123 announced the commercial operation of a 12MW operating reserveOperating reserveIn electricity networks, the operating reserve is the generating capacity available to the system operator within a short interval of time to meet demand in case a generator goes down or there is another disruption to the supply...
project at the AES GenerAES GenerAES Gener is a producer and distributor of electricity in Chile. Formerly known as Chilectra Generacion and Gener . AES Gener is the result of the division in 1987, Chilectra into three independent companies...
Los Andes substation in the Atacama Desert in Chile.
- In December 2010, AES CorporationAES CorporationAES Corporation is a Fortune 500 company that generates and distributes electrical power. The company was founded on January 28, 1981, as Applied Energy Services by Roger Sant from the US Federal Energy Administration and Dennis Bakke from the Office of Management and Budget. AES Corporation is...
secured a loan from the United States Department of EnergyUnited States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
to fund a 20MW frequency regulation energy storage system using A123's battery technology at the AES Westover power plant in Johnson City, N.Y.
- In February 2011, A123 announced a second project in Chile with AES GenerAES GenerAES Gener is a producer and distributor of electricity in Chile. Formerly known as Chilectra Generacion and Gener . AES Gener is the result of the division in 1987, Chilectra into three independent companies...
--a 20MW operating reserveOperating reserveIn electricity networks, the operating reserve is the generating capacity available to the system operator within a short interval of time to meet demand in case a generator goes down or there is another disruption to the supply...
energy storage system to be installed at a new 500MW power plant in Northern Chile called Angamos.
- In July 2011, A123 announced a contract to supply a 500kW advanced energy storage system to Dongfang ElectricDongfang ElectricChina Dongfang Electric Corporation ; is one of the largest enterprises in China engaging in the manufacturing of power generators and the contracts of power station projects. It is a state-owned enterprise managed by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. It was founded in 1984 and...
, the third largest manufacturer of wind turbines in China and the country's largest exporter of power equipment, as a demonstration project to help evaluate how advanced energy storage can address the challenges associated with the rapid growth of wind power in China, where only about 72% of the country's wind turbines are connected to the power grid, according to the China Power Union.
- In October 2011, AES CorporationAES CorporationAES Corporation is a Fortune 500 company that generates and distributes electrical power. The company was founded on January 28, 1981, as Applied Energy Services by Roger Sant from the US Federal Energy Administration and Dennis Bakke from the Office of Management and Budget. AES Corporation is...
unveiled a 32MW energy storage systems featuring A123's battery technology at the Laurel Mountain Wind Farm in West Virginia that will be used for renewable integration and frequency regulation. It is the largest battery energy storage system of its kind currently in operation.
Commercial
Black & DeckerBlack & Decker
Black & Decker Corporation is a corporation based in Towson, Maryland, United States, that designs and imports power tools and accessories, hardware and home improvement products, and technology based fastening systems...
uses A123 systems batteries in its VPX and DeWalt
DeWALT
DeWalt is a worldwide brand of power tools for the construction, manufacturing and woodworking industries. It is a subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker.- History :...
power tool lines.
Investments
The company has invested in Fisker AutomotiveFisker Automotive
Fisker Automotive is an American automaker based in Anaheim, California. The company's first product, the Fisker Karma is among the world's first true electric vehicles with extended range...
's Karma
Fisker Karma
The Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid luxury sports sedan produced by Fisker Automotive and manufactured at Valmet Automotive in Finland. The United States Environmental Protection Agency rated the Karma's combined city/highway fuel economy at equivalent in all-electric mode, and at in...
with Ace Investments and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.
The company has formed a joint venture with Shanghai Automotive to manufacture its batteries in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.