Nissan and EnerDel team up to research EV batteries

New York-based Ener1 (Nasdaq:HEV) is putting multiple bets on automotive makers for its electric vehicle battery technology.

The advanced lithium-ion automotive battery producer’s Indianapolis-based subsidiary EnerDel said it is teaming up with Japan’s Nissan Motor to research next-generation electrical conductive material intended to reduce cost and improve the performance of electric and hybrid vehicle batteries (see Ener1 buys full ownership of EnerDel).

EnerDel is developing its compact, high performance lithium-ion batteries based on technology pioneered at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, outside Chicago. EnerDel technology has applications in the medical, military, aerospace and electric utility markets, in addition to the auto industry. EnerDel also recently opened an advanced battery production line for large format cells at its Indianapolis plant.

Through the partnership announced yesterday, EnerDel and Nissan plan to co-fund research of a new electrolyte—a viscous liquid that serves as the essential conductive material between battery electrodes. The research is expected to take place at Argonne National Laboratory. Financial details were not disclosed.

Ener1 and Nissan are now working together, but Ener1 was previously a competitor to Nissan and NEC, which formed a joint venture to mass produce lithium-ion batteries for wide-scale automotive use (see Nissan and NEC form new advanced battery venture).

Earlier this month, Ener1 and Oslo, Norway’s Think Global continued a growing partnership, joining forces to provide EV conversion technology to Japan's Zero Sports, one of the companies tapped by Japan Post to convert a quarter of its fleet of 22,000 vehicles from gas to electric. The first vehicle under the project has been delivered (see Ener1, Think silence rumors of rift with new Japan deal).

This announcement came just after Gothenburg, Sweden’s Volvo picked Ener1’s lithium-ion battery packs to power its two, diesel hybrid V70 demonstration cars (see Ener1 and Volvo team up, leaving Think behind?). 

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