This would be an understandable approach to managing dwindling fortunes, especially if the company had suddenly devised a Li-ion battery that could compete head to head with internal combustion engines. As U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu once declared, "a rechargeable battery that can last for 5000 deep discharges, [and offer] 6 or 7 times as much storage capacity (3.6 Mj/kg = 1,000 Wh) at [one-third of today's costs] will be competitive with internal combustion engines (400-500 mile range).” A press release proclaiming that would certainly change the conversation and forever alter the company's market fortunes.
However, we didn’t get that. Instead, we got A123's same battery technology, but updated so that it can operate at extreme temperatures. "We believe Nanophosphate EXT is a game-changing breakthrough that overcomes one of the key limitations of lead acid, standard lithium-ion, and other advanced batteries. By delivering high power, energy, and cycle life capabilities over a wider temperature range, we believe Nanophosphate EXT can reduce or even eliminate the need for costly thermal management systems, which we expect will dramatically enhance the business case for deploying A123's lithium ion battery solutions for a significant number of applications," said David Vieau, the company's CEO, in a press release.
Will removing or just reducing the need for cooling systems be a game changer for both the transportation and telecommunications markets? Both applications will certainly benefit, but I imagine it will make more of a difference in the telecommunications market, where it will be used to power cell tower sites built off-grid or in regions with unstable power. After all, it’s hard to see how this brings Li-ion battery technology any closer to propelling a car for 800 kilometers on a single charge while lowering the price of the battery system by a factor of three. I am not sure this changes the conversation, never mind the game.
