From: howard.smith@spacebbs.com (Howard Smith) 
Newsgroups: sci.energy
Subject: Re: Where to get Electric
Date: 13 Nov 92 17:10:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: SPACE BBS - Menlo Park, CA - 10 Lines + 4gB - 415-323-4193
Reply-To: howard.smith@spacebbs.com (Howard Smith) 

EMS>>and and General Motors is sitting on the lithium
EMS>>polymer battery

EMS>Are you really really SURE that these are being sat on?  It looks
EMS>to me more like the typical 3-4 year time lag between a technology
EMS>being shown to work well, and product rollout in limited markets,
EMS>followed by another 1-2 year lag to shake out the bugs (and licence
EMS>fees ...) before rollout to major markets.

Valence  Technology, Inc. of San Jose, CA announced on  July  16,
1992  that  they had received an $350,000 purchase  order  for  a
limited quantity of its solid-state lithium batteries from  Delco
Remy, a division of General Motors. This is the first new  viable
technology  to be introduced into the automotive  battery  market
since lead-acid batteries were introduced more than 70 yers  ago.
Valence began shipping the batteries last August.

Valence Technology has developed a revolutionary battery based on
lithium  and uses a solid polymer electrolyte versus  the  tradi-
tional liquid electrolyte. Due to this proprietary solid  polymer
electrolyte, the Valence battery is the most successful  develop-
ment  of  a safe,  high-performance,  lithium-based  rechargeable
battery to date. The battery offers superior energy density,  low
self-discharge  on the shelf, tremendous design flexibility,  and
low  cost  in comparison to other existing and  emerging  battery
technologies.  By  using a solid-polymer  technology,  they  have
eliminated  the need for the rigid outer coating, allowing  their
batteries to be produced in a continuous process and formed  into
any size or shape. Finally, lithium is more benign environmental-
ly than the heavy mewtals used in many competing technologies.

In May of 1991, Valence and Delco Remy entered into a three year,
$20  million research and developement relationship  to  develope
lithium  polymer  batteries  for the vehicle  and  load  leveling
markets.  The agreement also gives Delco Remy exclusive  distrbu-
tion rights for four years.

Full scale production is to begin in 1993.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Valence Technology, Inc.
6781 Via Del Oro
San Jose, CA 95119
(408)365-6125
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The above was cobbled (minus a many superlatives) from reports by
several  security  analysts.

The  big question is that with this developement  General  Motors
should  have  clear  sailing in the EV market, so  why  are  they
trying  to get the federal EPA to invalidate California's  Ultra-
Low  Emmision standards????? I just don't trust GM and that  dis-
trust won't go away until I can go into a Delco Remy dealer  next
year  and buy Valence lithium polymer batteries at  a  reasonable
price for my EV conversion.

hhs

PS  -  A very good report on the market  viablity  and  technical
aspects  of the battery is available from Montgomery  Securities,
600 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA (415)627-2000,  undoubt-
edly free.
---
 . SLMR 2.1a . I'm in shape ... round's a shape isn't it?
                      
Newsgroups: sci.energy