EnerDel Partners with Mazda, Itochu, and Other Leaders for Pioneering Smart Grid Integration Project
01 December 2009 - 11:30PM
PR Newswire (US)
Advanced Lithium-ion Battery Maker Will Supply Systems for First
Real-World Combination of Electric Cars, Stationary Grid Storage
and Renewable Energy INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
American lithium-ion battery producer EnerDel announced today that
it will supply the advanced battery systems at the heart of a
groundbreaking project linking up all of the essential building
blocks needed to integrate the smart grid, electric vehicles and
renewable energy technologies. It will be the first time that EVs,
stationary grid storage, solar power and rapid charging
infrastructure are combined in a real-world operating environment.
Located outside Tokyo in Tsukuba City, Japan - a major center for
scientific R&D - the project involves more than a dozen major
partners from around the globe, including Mazda Motor Corporation
and the Japanese industrial trading giant Itochu Corporation, and
illustrates the competitive opportunities that exist for EnerDel in
the global clean tech marketplace. "This is by far the most
comprehensive integration of smart grid and EV technologies ever
undertaken, and it represents a tremendous milestone," said Charles
Gassenheimer, Chairman and CEO of EnerDel parent company Ener1,
Inc. (NASDAQ:HEV). "We are very excited to be standing at the
crossroads between these rapidly converging industries with
high-performance battery systems that shine in both grid and
automotive applications." Scheduled to come online in March of
2010, the effort involves a set of Mazda vehicles specially
converted to electric drive using EnerDel batteries and drivetrain
components from longtime EnerDel customer Think Global that will be
offered to the public through a car-sharing service akin to
America's Zipcar. The compact 5-door Mazda Demios (sold outside
Japan as the Mazda2) will be based at a Family Mart convenience
store equipped with solar panels, high-speed recharging stations
and a stationary battery array used to move energy to and from the
electric grid. The unique combination of on-site battery storage
with rapid charging allows the use of direct current throughout the
system, sharply reducing the amount of time needed to charge a
vehicle. It also allows users to recharge without drawing power
from the grid, a significant advantage at peak load times. The
project will use a 24-kilowatt-hour battery pack initially designed
for the Think City EV to demonstrate that automotive systems can be
used in stationary applications without major modification. Once
the batteries are cycled through their useful vehicular lifespan,
the project will showcase their valuable afterlife in stationary
grid applications, where operating parameters are much less taxing.
A viable battery aftermarket would significantly lower costs for
both automotive and utility buyers. "This is the second big
opportunity we have had to work with our partners at Think Global
to develop a complete drivetrain system for a third party
customer," Gassenheimer said. "EnerDel has worked hard to build
upstream and downstream relationships with the industry's leading
companies around the world that give us a crucial edge as these
growing markets converge." Itochu, for example, is EnerDel's
official sales and marketing partner in Japan, and has been a
significant investor in Ener1 since 2003. In July, EnerDel and
Itochu joined forces with longtime EnerDel customer Think Global to
convert electric drive delivery trucks for Japan's postal service.
Itochu is also the largest shareholder in Family Mart, which has
more than 14,000 stores across Asia. The $90 billion conglomerate
has deep ties to the automotive, utility and renewable energy
industries, and is the largest global reseller of manufacturing
equipment for lithium-ion battery production, providing EnerDel
with unique access to specialized equipment and material markets.
EnerDel is based in Indianapolis, IN. The company has one of the
most advanced lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities in the
world, and the only one of its kind in the United States. ABOUT
ENER1 Ener1 develops and manufactures compact, high performance
lithium-ion batteries to power the next generation of hybrid,
plug-in hybrid and pure electric vehicles. The publicly traded
company (NASDAQ:HEV) is led by an experienced team of engineers and
energy system experts at its EnerDel subsidiary located in Indiana.
In addition to the automobile market, applications for Ener1
lithium-ion battery technology include the military, grid storage
and other growing markets. Ener1 also develops commercial fuel cell
products through its EnerFuel subsidiary and nanotechnology-based
materials and manufacturing processes for batteries and other
applications through its NanoEner subsidiary. SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT
Certain statements made in this press release constitute
forward-looking statements that are based on management's
expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Words such as
"expects," "anticipates," "plans," "believes," "scheduled,"
"estimates" and variations of these words and similar expressions
are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995,
as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future
performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are
difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results and trends
may differ materially. DATASOURCE: Ener1 CONTACT: Investor
Relations: Rachel Carroll, Ener1, Inc., +1-212-920-3500, ; Media
Relations: Jon Coifman, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide,
+1-212-551-4815,
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