In amongst the hundred’s of battery articles that appear on the web every week, two separate recent articles, both about the same new application of the manganese variant of the lithium-ion battery, stood out from the crowd.  

Why was this so?  Well for me it was because this new application epitomized four key points about the whole ‘new generation’ vehicle battery debate.   The articles can be viewed via the following links:

• http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4272872.html
• http://www.roadracerx.com/article.php?article_id=911

What this new application demonstrates clearly is:

• That the power delivered, compared to the weight of the battery, is a key factor when comparing vehicle batteries technologies. A scale that the LiMn form rates very well on.
• That the ability to build a battery in uncoventional shapes is important. Witness the aerofoil shapes of some earlier electric bikes and the flat panels desined to keep a low centre of gravity in some car models. Not that this application is at all unconventional, being designed into the space previously taken up by the petrol engine.
• That stability and robustness is very important for a battery technology to be generally accepted and what better way of demonstrating this than by putting it in a trail bike.
• That straight electric applications are a much better solution than hybids, in 80%+ of all vehicle user applications, whether that be on two wheels, four wheels or more!

From the selfish perspective of a HiTec shareholder, these new applications of the lithium-ion/manganese technology, simply mean more demand for lithiated manganese dioxide and the high purity EMD from which it is produced. In turn it will mean it will mean more demand for our production technology for making high purity EMD from low grade manganese ores, which by the way is all that the EMD producers can buy in this hot manganese market, unless of course they have their own high grade mine in the backyard.

This article on HiTec’s recently announced deal with Auvex Resources and plans for secondary processing in Port Hedland was published in the WA Business News on 5th June 2008.

A recent article by Jon Ostrower for Flight International entitled “Boeing looks to boost 787 lithium ion battery service life” discussed a rumoured move by Boeing to move to the manganese variant of the lithium ion battery for its new 787 series aircraft rather than staying with the lithium ion variant (presumably cobalt) that was originally designed into this aircraft’s power systems. The article speculated that the move was “due to longevity concerns” by Boeing and US Federal Aviation Administration voiced concerns over the use of cobalt variants of lithium ion battery technology due to their exposure to over charging, overdischarging and overheating.

If this article is on the money, then this is a very significant step forward for the manganese variant of the lithium ion battery, not just in providing back up power in aviation power systems, but in all transport power systems. Such a move will further demonstrate the advantages of this technology in terms of operational safety, high power to weight ratio, enhanced longevity, lower cost and lower environmental impacts, relative to its competitors.

From HiTec’s perspective, this mooted transition from the cobalt variant of the lithium ion battery to the manganese variant is not a surprise, but merely one more step towards the manganese variant becoming the standard for the next generation of vehicles of every shape, size or purpose. With this prospect in mind, we see escalating demand for the components of this battery technology, a primary one being high purity electrolytic manganese dioxide.

To meet this increased demand EMD producers will not only have to lift investment in new production capacity (a difficult enough task for an industry that has endured a decade of parlous financial existence) but will also need to invest invest in cleaner, smarter production technology. The latter investments will be essential if tomorrow’s EMD production plants are to produce the high purity products the battery industry will demand of them, from the lower and lower grades of manganese ores that will be available and in the increasing stringent environmental regimes they will face.

It is in these areas that HiTec can offer existing and aspiring EMD producers technologies that will allow them to deliver and prosper.