Electronics

New high energy, high reliability lithium-ion battery module from Panasonic

New high energy, high reliability lithium-ion battery module from Panasonic
View 0 Images

Lithium-ion based batteries have found widespread popularity in all kinds of consumer electronics thanks to their high energy-to-weight ratios, lack of memory effect, and slow discharge when not in use. These attributes have also made them attractive to the burgeoning areas of battery-powered cars and storage of energy generated by home-use photovoltaic (PV) systems and fuel cells. This rise in popularity, and the increase in storage systems using lithium-ion batteries, has also led to a demand for systems with higher capacity, output, reliability, safety and improved cost performance. Now Panasonic says it has developed a 1.5 kWh battery module that meets these demands.

The new module has a volume of approximately seven liters, weighs eight kg (8.6 lbs), has a voltage of 25.2 and a capacity of 58 Ah. Multiple units of the module can be connected in series and/or parallel to construct battery packs for a range of applications. The high-energy module is constructed from 140 pieces of 18650-type (18 mm in diameter x 65 mm in length) lithium-ion battery cells - seven serially-connected rows each made of 20 parallel-connected battery cells. This structure enables the prevention of a serious loss in system performance such as system shutdown, even if some individual cells fail.

Panasonic says the 18650-type lithium-ion batteries are highly reliable and safe, and offer good cost performance - and the company has already developed and commercialized an 18650-type lithium-ion battery with the industry's highest level of capacity.

To develop the new module, Panasonic employed high-capacity and high-durability cell technology utilizing a proprietary nickel-based positive electrode material that boasts high capacity and excellent durability. Additionally, its cell safety technology uses a heat-resistant metal oxide insulating layer between positive and negative electrodes to prevent short circuits and overheating, which can occur when foreign particles get mixed into the battery cell.

Panasonic will have a prototype of the new battery module on show at CEATEC JAPAN 2009, which runs October 6-10, and at the New Energy Industry Fair Osaka, which runs from October 7-9.

4 comments
4 comments
jerryd
I hope it\'s not too expensive, like $500 as it would take over EV\'s built by custom builders. It would cut the weight of my EV\'s by 30% which would increase range by 20% because of less rolling drag. Or use a smaller pack for the same range.
Since it is a battery it will have to have a built in BMS to keep them charged correctly which is one thing lacking in most lithium packs.
Panasonic has always made reliable items of good quality so I see good things here.
waltinseattle
If it waqs going to come out around P0, then they would certainly be screaming that Breakthrough all over the press releases!!! Sans management system, let's project $1500 plus/minus.
25.2 volt means a pair will do very nicely, thankyou, for a 48 volt motor. Plus they will have enough juice hours to do my target of Seattle to the Colombia Gorge, with very little peddaling by the other component of the "hybrid" system.
Price, price price.....
Gerfried Hans
Would be nice to hear about some standardisation issues answering the questions, whether this will be the analogy to the AA-cell used in toys - for serious light battery electric vehicles? - are the dimensions falling into a standard including some fixing counterparts? - does it support CAN bus standards for the BMS? - does it allow to be stacked and cooled at the same time? thanks Plse see my project here: http://www.hyperbike.cc/Vorlage.phtml?id=2312&lan=en
John M
re Lithuim Iron battery. 8kg is not 8.6 lbs as a kg is 2.2 Lbs. probably a typo.
The only thing missing is the PRICE?. cheers