Argonne Lab: China making "vast progress" in Li-Ion battery manufacturing technology

[HoosierRon]

Argonne: China Making “Vast Progress” in Li-Ion Manufacturing Technology

China is making “vast progress” in lithium-ion battery manufacturing technology, according to a review published earlier this year by Argonne National Laboratory.
...
Although there are significant issues of competitive concern [This is what "free trade" gets us -- HR], there are also reasons to hope that multiple nations will have the ability to produce high-quality, interchangeable battery packs for future plug-in hybrid vehicles. The Chinese government is developing its industry and universities to carry out the research and development (R&D) in lithium-ion battery technology for portable and electric vehicle applications. An estimated 400 organizations in China are involved in battery development or manufacturing; however, manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries represent an unknown fraction of this total.
...
From 2001 to 2004, the number of battery companies in China increased from 455 to 613; accordingly, the number of employees in those industries also increased from 140,000 in 2001 to 250,000 in 2004.

In the past three to four years, companies outside of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) have been bringing advanced battery technologies to the PRC and setting up partnerships and/or joint ventures ...

The sales of large-scale companies in the battery industry was 59.818 billion Yuan ($7.65 billion) in 2004—an increase of 52.85% in comparison with 2003, an increase of 105.32% in comparison with 2002...

During 2003–2004, the Chinese lithium-ion battery industry developed dramatically. The production of cobalt acid lithium and nickel acid lithium and the invention of new manufacturing techniques to extract lithium from salty lakes will drastically reduce the need to import anode materials for lithium batteries from abroad....

Lithium resources are abundant in China. As of 2000, China was the second largest producer of lithium in the world, and in 2004, it produced 18,000 metric tons....

Since the initiation of China’s “863 Program” in 1987, the Ministry of Science and Technology has organized the research and development of the key materials and technologies for NiMH and lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are produced on a large scale, particularly for export.

Siiiiiiigh. Chevrolet Volt: made in China?

[mgescuro]

If the US is lazy and complicit, then the US will wither.
It's up to the America and Americans to become competitive instead of being a bunch of whiny bitches when nothing goes their way.

[vanshmack]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

If the US is lazy and complicit, then the US will wither.
It's up to the America and Americans to become competitive instead of being a bunch of whiny bitches when nothing goes their way.

I think you were looking for the word "complacent". Anyway, I don't belive for a moment that the US is lazy and complacent. I do believe that government regulation and the litigious nature of the American system discourages the ingenuity that once made our country great.

Venture capital not only has to compete with so-called free trade, but also our own government and the ambulance-chasing lawyers.

Once the US returns to a fair trade posture and enacts some sort of tort reform, perhaps we'll see a resurgance of the American entrepeneur.

[HoosierRon]

Originally Posted by vanshmack

I think you were looking for the word "complacent".

I'm not so sure.

In any event, China has a well organized plan to become dominant in this technology. What is the U.S.'s plan? Tax, regulate and legislate businesses out of existence. Even before you start comparing salaries of Chinese and American workers, the Americans already have lost.

All the U.S. would have to do is impose a 100% tariff on Chinese batteries, and companies instantly would invest billions on U.S. factories. Do you think that will happen in the next 4/8 years?

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by vanshmack

I think you were looking for the word "complacent". Anyway, I don't belive for a moment that the US is lazy and complacent. I do believe that government regulation and the litigious nature of the American system discourages the ingenuity that once made our country great.

Venture capital not only has to compete with so-called free trade, but also our own government and the ambulance-chasing lawyers.

Once the US returns to a fair trade posture and enacts some sort of tort reform, perhaps we'll see a resurgance of the American entrepeneur.

Yes. Complacent. No clue where my brain was.

Government regulation? Litigious nature? No.
Americans just don't do what it takes to be competitive. There is no drive to compete. A lot of the drive has been lost.

American entrepreneurialism is still around. But there just isn't enough of it.

Most of America is content with a "me me me attitude." So long as their bellies are full and they have their plasmas, then to hell with the world.

Complicit complacency is the norm in America.

[racy]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

If the US is lazy and complicit, then the US will wither.
It's up to the America and Americans to become competitive instead of being a bunch of whiny bitches when nothing goes their way.

What do you mean "if" ?

We will witness the fall of Rome in our lifetime. First, we exported our jobs, now we're exporting our technology.

Secondly, we're not investing in the educational infrastructure to keep the U.S. at the forefront of technology. Twenty-five years ago, the United States inarguable had all the best school in nearly all areas of academia. Not so anymore. Technical academia is on par with or ahead of the U.S. academia in India, China, Japan and western Europe.

Thirdly, we have two back to back generations who do not know what it means to be without. We're a country of entitlements.

Fourth, the past 8 years of political leadership has easily created 40 years worth of damage - perhaps some non-repairable.

We're in a bad state dude.

[mgescuro]

Originally Posted by racy

We're in a bad state dude.

Oh I know we're in a bad state. But I don't think we're at a point where it can't be turned around.
But yes, the "fall of Rome" is just around the corner. We just need to wake up.

[ericmvest]

Originally Posted by vanshmack

Anyway, I don't belive for a moment that the US is lazy and complacent. I do believe that government regulation and the litigious nature of the American system discourages the ingenuity that once made our country great.

Venture capital not only has to compete with so-called free trade, but also our own government and the ambulance-chasing lawyers.

Once the US returns to a fair trade posture and enacts some sort of tort reform, perhaps we'll see a resurgance of the American entrepeneur.

The root of most of America's economic problems is a bloated and inefficient Federal Government that is in many cases doing the exact opposite of what they should be doing to make America competitive in the World economy. Our disastrous energy policy is a prime example.

[johnstarnes]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

If the US is lazy and complicit, then the US will wither.
It's up to the America and Americans to become competitive instead of being a bunch of whiny bitches when nothing goes their way.

As an American I agree. We'd be better off once again being a global leader in industry and innovation and international relations, an inspiration to the world vs. a tired strained empire dependent on others to supply our basic needs and buy up our massive debt. Just think what could be done with the many billions of US dollars being spent building those fourteen "enduring bases" in "liberated" Iraq, with four of them "super-bases" !

[prototype66]

Yea I bought one of those "High Quality" Li battery 18 v Cordless drills made in china once. It lasted anout 8 months and always got hotter than you know what!
Now its totally dead and can't be charged.
Batteries from china in a car....no thanks!

[BlueMontreal]

There are larges deposits of Lithium in Tibet, below lake Chabyer. Make sense for them to develop this technology.

[steined]

Why build a battery plant in the US where it has to pass hundreds of environmental and code inspections along with dozens of permits? Once built this plant would costs orders of magnitudes more than a plant in China or Mexico. It isn't that there isn't enough American entrepreneurialism, it is just that those of us who are doing it are doing it where we don't have to justify or ask for permission in every little step we make.

The US is going to be in deep crap if they start passing cap&trade regulation in addition to the already unfriendly business regulations that are already out there. Why are we a service economy? Service jobs don't have to build factories that might pollute a little and be subject to EPA, OSHA, and other rediculous regulations. They don't have to deal with arbitrary CAFE regulations or NSHTA regulations that can change on a whim or when administrations change, they don't have to worry about being sued if their customers under-inflate tires.

Now if you were going to invest your hard earned money into a manuacturing plant.. where would you do it? Here or somewhere where the government makes it easy?

Some will ask... Why did Honda and Toyota build plants here then? They have the HUGE beneift of currency stabilization to target market, huge tax incentives from state/local governments, and a factory system already in place that probably didn't have to be modified much to comply with US regs. There aren't many start up manufacturing companies in the US anymore and labor costs, while a component, aren't the main reason.

[vanshmack]

Originally Posted by mgescuro

Yes. Complacent. No clue where my brain was.

Government regulation? Litigious nature? No.
Americans just don't do what it takes to be competitive. There is no drive to compete. A lot of the drive has been lost.

American entrepreneurialism is still around. But there just isn't enough of it.

Most of America is content with a "me me me attitude." So long as their bellies are full and they have their plasmas, then to hell with the world.

Complicit complacency is the norm in America.

Ahh...the leftist "blame America (as in, the American people) first" argument. How utterly unrefreshing.

If anything, I concur with the posts above that blame our government for extraordinary waste and lack of vision. As HoosierRon mentioned, the Chinese are committed to being the leaders in this industry, and encouraged to do so by their government. Now, I'm not advocating a quasi-command economy, as in China, however, our lawmakers should be looking at providing a favorable business climate for the small businesses and entrepeneurs that are the backbone of the economy.

Instead, congress would rather look for ways to punish business (all business) than to encourage it.

[GG_TECH]

During 2003–2004, the Chinese lithium-ion battery industry developed dramatically. The production of cobalt acid lithium and nickel acid lithium and the invention of new manufacturing techniques to extract lithium from salty lakes will drastically reduce the need to import anode materials for lithium batteries from abroad....

The above mentioned litium Ion batteries are different from the ones being used in the Volt. Yea, China has the ability to produce standard Lithium Ion batteries such as the ones used in laptops, the Volt uses a FE-Phospate Lithium Ion which is completely new technology specifically made for the Volt. This battery has very long cycle life, long reliability and is much less suspeptable to fires or explosions that you would get from a standard lithium ion battery. Now you can see why all the fuss is with the batteries.

gg

[Bigbee60]

80% of China is still without the infrastructure to support industry. The 20% that has been built is formidable due to the size of the country and the availability of cheap labor. Remember this is a communist country and it can order workers to do the government's bidding. If the Chinese government wants Lithium batteries, they simply put it in the annual plan. Basic human rights and working conditions are not part of the plan. A level playing field will eventually remove the Chinese economies of scale caused by some of this, but not all.

Fair trade, open trade, or whatever you want to call it needs to have a key component reinstated and that is balance. A trade system setup to allow deficit trading that is not just due to timing of transaction and settlements ("I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a Cheeseburger today") is not free trade. And thirty plus years of deficit trade balances is not a timing issue. A more workable system would be voucher based and if the Chinese are at a deficit with the US, they could buy or trade for surplus credits from other countries who have them. This type of system would also force some balance in the energy markets and this balance wouldn't be any more painful than today's $140 per barrel oil.