Johnson Controls-Saft, Maxwell Tech collaborate on batteries

Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls-Saft Advanced Power Solutions and San Diego's Maxwell Technologies (Nasdaq: MXWL) announced that they would collaborate on a battery development project.

The two companies said they plan to work on the development of more effective and energy efficient electrodes for lithium-ion hybrid vehicle batteries.

Under the agreement, Maxwell will produce lithium-ion battery electrodes for testing and evaluation by Johnson Controls-Saft.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Our goal is to develop break-through technology on electrode manufacturing to reduce the cost and environmental impact of advanced automotive batteries for hybrid vehicles," said Mary Ann Wright, head of Johnson Controls-Saft and general manager of Johnson Controls' hybrid business.

"Maxwell has developed a unique manufacturing process that we can leverage through our global leadership in the development and manufacture of lithium-ion automotive batteries."

Johnson Controls-Saft is a joint venture of Milwaukee's Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI) and Bagnolet, France-based Saft.

David Schramm, Maxwell's president and CEO, said, "Johnson Controls-Saft is an ideal advanced battery collaborator with which to explore a high-volume application that could create substantial additional value from the patented process Maxwell originally developed to produce carbon powder-based ultracapacitor electrode material."

The two companies said they plan to evaluate the integration of Maxwell's electrode process into the mass production of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid vehicles.

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