General Motors earlier awarded contracts to two suppliers to design and test lithium-ion batteries to be used in the upcoming Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in hybrid SUV.

The first contract was awarded to Johnson Controls - Saft Advanced Power Solutions LLC, a joint venture between Tier 1 automotive supplier Johnson Controls and Saft. The other agreement was awarded to Cobasys, based in Orion, Mich., a joint venture between Chevron Technology Ventures and Energy Conversion Devices. The former will team up with A123Systems, a privately held company based in Watertown, Mass., to develop its lithium-ion battery technology.

According to Denise Gray, GM’s newly appointed director of hybrid energy storage systems, the companies will be challenged to prove the durability, reliability and potential cost at mass volumes of their technology. “Thanks to critical relationships with the U.S. government, collaborative research with Ford and DaimlerChrysler under the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), significant progress has been made in battery research,” said Gray. “But a lot of testing and development is still needed. Together, with our suppliers, we intend to address the issues relating to thermal management, storage capacity, recharge times, driving range and cost reduction.”

The batteries, which are the fruits of the two agreements, will be evaluated in prototype Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in hybrids late this year. Said batteries will be integrated to auto body parts Saturn Vue Green Hybrid to improve its efficiency. Though the batteries are both lithium-ion, their chemistries are expected to vary significantly. In addition, the suppliers are also expected to use different methodologies in the formulation and assembly of the battery packs.

GM is determined to retain its title as the largest automaker around the globe. To defend the title further, it will be actively look for more partners that will alleviate its standing. Taking lithium-ion technology to production is one of the significant endeavors that GM is concentrating on.

“These two agreements are by no means the only avenues we’re pursuing,” Gray said. “We are fully committed to forging the necessary partnerships to produce battery solutions that will meet our aggressive vehicle program targets.”

In the past, GM has announced its intention to produce a Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in hybrid which is expected to double the fuel efficiency of any sports utility vehicle made available in the auto market. At present, the automaker is developing a 2-mode hybrid system with DaimlerChrysler and BMW Group. Said system will be used in front-, rear- and four-wheel drive applications in a portfolio of car and truck models. It is set to make its debut late this year in the Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon Hybrid SUVs.

GM, founded in 1908, employs about 326,999 people worldwide. With global headquarters at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, USA, GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. GM brands include Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall. According to GM, it will be holding on and fighting for its title as the largest automaker around the globe. Hence, enthusiasts and critics in auto industry are expecting a pretty tight competition between GM and its closest rival - Toyota.

Correy Putton
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/gm-to-offer-pluggable-hybrid-battery-94218.html

Cell phone is considered to be the best invention of recent times. With the cell phone, one can communicate and stay in touch with anyone, anywhere, at anytime. The latest cell phone models also facilitate internet browsing through WAP, video and photo cameras, MP3 players and radio. Some even permit word processing and other features of a PC. All these functions use a lot of power, and are possible because of the great cell phone batteries used in the cell phones.

Cell phone batteries are usually made of Lithium Ion (LiOn) which is a lightweight and rechargeable battery that has no effects on the memory of the cell phone. When you first use the cell phone, it is necessary that the first charge is for eight continuous hours. It is important that you charge the battery for so long on its first charge else the battery expires before its intended life span.

Different models of cell phones use different batteries with different capacities. Some phones offer vibrator alarm features where it is the battery that vibrates. Then there are cell phones that offer long talk time which need a stronger cell phone battery. This is why it is not advisable to swap batteries between cell phones. All that happens is damage to the unit.

Whichever cell phone and cell phone battery you have, it is important that you don’t expose both the cell phone and its battery to extreme moisture and heat. Though it is important that you periodically charge the battery, it is important that you don’t overcharge it as the resultant heat can explode the unit. It is better that you avoid dropping the cell phone batteries while draining the batteries occasionally and then charging them fully lengthens the life of the cell phone. If the cell phone is not used for more than two months, then the battery has to be recharged completely before using.

Oliver Turner
http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/cell-phone-batteries-a-review-88434.html

The wheelchair is not merely the convenience that you should look after even though it is a great help for its users. There are various types of wheelchair styles available in the market and it has specific considerations that need to take into account.

One type is manual wheelchair and you may be familiar with its usage since it is the first one to be used by in the past.

While on the other hand, dealing with power and electric wheelchairs are of a different thing altogether. In order for it to run, you need a wheelchair battery and therefore you should consider your battery consumption.

It is quite a difficult task to choose a type of battery for your electric or power wheelchair. You need to gauge the kind of trips that you will have aside from the brand of battery.

Then you need to look into the manner of how you will use your wheelchair including the frequency of your usage.

When using the wrong battery, it tends to be stranded in the middle of your destination especially when you have a trip on rugged terrains where batteries don’t have sufficient energy to sustain the wheelchair.

Here are the lists of other considerations aside from the battery life:

Jed Baguio
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/factors-to-consider-when-choosing-a-wheelchair-battery-93299.html

Batteries are all over the place — in our cars, our PCs, laptops, portable MP3 players and cell phones. A battery is essentially a can full of chemicals that produce electrons. Chemical reactions that produce electrons are called electrochemical reactions. In this article, you’ll learn all about batteries — from the basic concept at work to the actual chemistry going on inside a battery to what the future holds for batteries and possible power sources that could replace them!

Many lithium ion packs have a built-in meter consisting of a row of LEDs and a button. To accurately report the state of charge, the pack electronics has to keep a record of the current in and out of the cell, as well as a model of its behaviour. This can become more inaccurate over time; more modern cells will recalibrate themselves.

However, batteries are not quite that linear. For one thing, all batteries have a maximum current they can produce — a 500 milliamp-hour battery cannot produce 30,000 milliamps for 1 second, because there is no way for the battery’s chemical reactions to happen that quickly. And at higher current levels, batteries can produce a lot of heat, which wastes some of their power. Also, many battery chemistries have longer or shorter than expected lives at very low current levels. But milliamp-hour ratings are somewhat linear over a normal range of use. Using the amp-hour rating, you can roughly estimate how long the battery will last under a given load.

more info : one-battery.com

if you have any question, pls feel free to contact me.

julio dino
http://www.articlesbase.com/electronics-articles/what-about-batteries-around-of-us-99797.html

It does not make a difference if it is dead or not. It should take max 3-6 hours to charge to full power even if you still have battery left. There is a big difference in how long it will last. There is a standby mode when you are not using it which most phones last up to a few days 3 max. But if you use it a lot the battery will die a lot faster. When I go on long trips I have a charger that I can put in the car so I don’t have to worry about it. I also use the hands free kit which works very good to.

Most batteries today are Lithium Ion batteries. They do not suffer memory loss like the old nickel hydride batteries did. This happened when you would charge the battery when it was only 1/2 down and after awhile, it believed that 1/2, was empty. With Lithium Ion batteries, we generally advise that you charge them for 8-12 hours before use, but this is purely precautionary. I would definitely take the phone in to the retail store and advise them that you believe the battery is bad. I would guess they can either test and/or replace your battery.

All the phones now come with lithium ion batteries and charging should not be an issue …although it’s best not to charge them over 24 hours..Overnight every night is fine…they all do have a life though leaving it off when you don’t need it can extend that. Although you would miss calls.

Cell phone chargers as well as any other ac/dc power cube use a small amount of power even if the device it powers is not plugged in. The amount of power used is only a couple of watts but if you leave your charger plugged in all the time that power is being used 24/7. Over time it adds up. And if you multiply that usage by all the other power cubes you may have plugged in it can be significant. In addition, any device that has a remote control (TV, VCR, DVD, air conditioner, etc) also is using power when turned off. A good solution is to plug these devices into a power strip. Then you can just turn off the power strip to eliminate the “parasitic” power usage.

There is nothing at all wrong with purchasing an aftermarket battery for your phone. I have used many in years of cell phone usage. I would recommend that you purchase a Lithium Ion battery instead of Nickel Hydride. The charge current depends upon the technology and capacity of the battery being charged. For example, the current that should be applied to recharge a 12 V car battery will be very different to the current for a mobile phone battery.

Battery chargers for mobile phones are notable in that they come in a wide variety of connector-styles and voltages, most of which are not compatible with other manufactures’ phones or even different models of phones from a single manufacturer.

Victor Epand
http://www.articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/battery-and-battery-chargers-for-mobile-phones-80236.html

Johnson Controls, the world’s leading supplier of automotive batteries, has entered into an agreement with Federal-Mogul Corporation. The agreement is focused on the marketing of Federal-Mogul’s Champion® battery brand.

The deal allows Johnson Controls to market batteries from the popular brand. Champion is known for producing highly efficient lead-acid batteries for automotive use.

Aside from the high quality automotive battery, the company also produces automotive components like spark plugs. The most notable achievement for the company is the use of their spark plugs on racing vehicles in almost every motor sport. Some of the championship winning vehicles that Champion’s spark plugs were used are the cars which won the five out of the last six NASCAR championships.

It is indeed an understatement to say that Champion is the brand of champions. And after the agreement, Johnson Controls will be marketing the brand along with its reputation of high quality. The batteries from the brand will surely complement other aftermarket or replacement parts like brake components like EBC brake pads.

Brian Kessler, the Vice President and General Manager of Power Solutions, North America, Johnson Controls, has this to say about the licensing agreement: “We look forward to the opportunity to further provide options that serve our customers’ needs with not only the best products and services in the industry, but the best brand portfolio. The well respected Champion brand, coupled with our industry leading products and services, is one more way we can drive our customers’ business and provide exceptional value to the end consumer.”

Lead-acid batteries are popular for automotive use because this type of battery provides high surge currents. That means that it is compatible with high current requiring automotive components like starters. The type of battery is also relatively cheaper to produce compared to other types like lithium-ion or nickel-metal hydride batteries. While the lead-acid battery is heavier than most automotive batteries, it is popularly used on forklifts where the weight of the battery serves as a counterweight.

This type is also the oldest form of battery and the practicality of the battery is still credible evidenced by the show of support for it by large companies such as Johnson Controls.

Johnson Controls is a global leader in their field partnered with another global leader in its corresponding field. Federal-Mogul Corporation supplies original equipment manufacturers all over the world with the help of its more than 45,000 employees spread across 34 countries. Aside from the Champion brand, Federal-Mogul’s products are marketed under different brand names which includes: AE® and Sealed Power® for engine products, ANCO® for wipers, Fel-Pro® and Payen® for gaskets, Ferodo® for brake pads, Glyco® for bearings, Goetze® for piston rings, Moog® for chassis products, National® for wheel-end parts, Nural® for pistons, and Wagner® for lighting components.

Anthony Fontanelle
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/johnson-controls-to-market-champion-batteries-124676.html