DETROIT - GM's decision to switch to lithium phosphate in October, four months after the first battery in the Volt on fire. New information, in addition to GM, Fisker Automotive Inc. will also use lithium phosphate, as well as for models of BMW ActiveHybrid 5 and 3 which will be marketed in March 2012.After the Volt, General Motors will produce electric vehicles and marketed the Chevrolet Spark 2013. The difference is, if the Volt uses lithium-ion batteries, for a city car that relies on lithium phosphate batteries from A123 Systems Inc. of Waltham-based.
GM said party within two years, the technology for electric and hybrid cars have changed so quickly. When Nissan, Tesla and GM to develop electric cars, lithium-ion batteries is best available technology.
GM's shift of the lithium-ion to phosphate based on two things. First, the technology is safer and more durable than lithium-ion. Secondly, what happened to the Volt where three batteries caught fire.
Burning of the battery case (since May) on the Volt, including the hit testing, is being investigated by the Institute of Highway Traffic Safety Agency (NHTSA). Only, "the investigation is not focused on the battery cell," said Randy Fox, a spokesman for GM.
"Lithium Phosphate chemistry can be more friendly in terms of heat control/maintainance, although store less energy," said James Hall, head of consulting firm 2953 Analytics Inc. in Detroit. There are a number of new discoveries, added to the new lithium battery.
