A Michigan based company called SAKTI3, headed by professor Ann Marie Sastri says it is utilizing manufacturing efficiencies from flat screen TV production to drastically reduce the cost of Li-ion battery production - by as much as 1/4 lower than current costs! The flat screen technology specifically is thin film deposition which her company feels is readily transferrable to Li-ion battery production. If this proves to be scalable I think Elon Musk's soon-to-be-built Nevada Tesla battery production plant will want to get a license from this startup company. *On a related note, can you imagine a Prius with a Li-ion battery the same size and/or weight as our current Ni-Mh battery running more powerful electric motors? We could utilize our EV mode much longer and at higher speeds than we now do, saving even more gas. *Automotive electric motors are improving rapidly with stronger rare earth magnets giving them more power for an even smaller size. Combining the technologies of better batteries and better electric motors makes for a very bright EV and hybrid future. And, if applicable, this more efficient production may make the future of Li-sulphur/carbonite scaffold batteries the way to go. These new sulphur-based batteries have the potential to be many times more powerful than comparable sized Li-ion batteries with the added advantage of much faster charging times. WHOOPEE! We can watch the oceans rise, the storms increase in intensity and the glaciers melt while driving super-efficient cars. It's a Brave New World out there.
