Battery Shortages May Crimp Hybrid Production - McPaper

[hatrack]

Explosive growth in the number of hybrid gas/electric vehicles manufactured and sold in coming years may strain makers of the expensive battery packs that help power them. With relatively few hybrid models on the market, the three major suppliers of the batteries — Japan's Panasonic and Sanyo and U.S.-based Cobasys — may have enough production capacity to meet automakers' current plans over the next few years.

But without expansion or more players coming into the market, batteries could be in short supply three or four years from now when more automakers expect to begin selling hybrids. Even now, suppliers appear unable to quickly add production. Ford Motor has already complained that Sanyo — battery supplier for the hybrid version of the Escape sport-utility vehicle — can't build enough batteries. The hybrid Escape went on sale in September. Ford expects to build 20,000 for the 2005 model year but would like to build more.

Ford is in talks with Sanyo about boosting production. It also is talking with other hybrid battery makers to get more supply. Sanyo officials in Detroit said they could not talk about their production plans because of contract agreements with Ford.

EDIT

Toyota, which builds the popular Prius hybrid, announced that it will increase production of the sedan from about 50,000 this year to 100,000 next year. Currently, customers can face a two-month wait to get a Prius. Toyota gets its hybrid batteries from Panasonic, which was able to increase production to meet the demand, says Nancy Hubbell, a Toyota spokeswoman. Honda, which sells a Civic hybrid along with Insight, will launch a hybrid version of its Accord on Dec. 10. Honda plans to sell 20,000 Accord hybrids a year, partly because it is sure it can get 20,000 batteries from Sanyo, its hybrid battery supplier for Accord. Civic and Insight hybrid batteries come from Panasonic."

EDIT

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-11-21-hybrid-batteries_x.htm

[JeffInRick]

1. Dead batteries

Any idea if they have adequate planning to deal with all of those batteries when they go bad?
I use a battery recycling program at work because I don't want to put my old batteries in a landfill. I hope we're not just shifting the pollution problem underground with these hybrids.

[still_one]

2. I don't know about the others, but Toyota has the battery designed

so you replace individual bad cells, not the complete battery, unless of course the whole battery is damaged

I do not see complete battery failures occurring

[JeffInRick]

3. That's better...

At least they won't have to replace as much as often. Eventually though, all that stuff has to be dealt with. No car, or battery, stays on the road forever?
I just wonder if we're really going in the right direction with Hybrids.
On the other hand, anything that drives improvement in battery technology is a good thing and will contribute to practical solar solutions.

[Village Idiot]

4. Aren't

Sanyo and Panasonic are part of the same kiritsu - Matsushita-Kotobuki?...