Dow Kokam has signed two agreements to provide lithium-ion battery solutions to power electric medium-duty commercial vehicles with Motiv Power Systems and ZeroTruck, all designated for fleet operations.
Made with nickel metal cobalt technology, Dow Kokam battery cells are designed with a patented Z-fold process and currently feature an energy density of 14 Wh/kg, a good energy/power balance (14 kW peak power), and offer a cycle life of 2,000 cycles at 80% discharge. Dow Kokam says that the design of the cells results in lower impedance and heat generation, with improved lifetime and faster charge and discharge.
Motiv Power Systems, an electric drive power control system provider, with funding from the California Energy Commission, is using Dow Kokam’s battery system to convert a Class 4, Ford E-450 diesel chassis to a completely electric system for a passenger shuttle bus. The fully-electric, 20-passenger shuttle bus has a 100-mile (161-kilometer) range.
The shuttle bus will be operated by Bauer Transportation to provide daily service for the San Francisco region, including the Google and Facebook headquarters in the high-tech corridor of the Silicon Valley. The vehicle is projected to operate for at least 8 years, and will begin its deployment in August.
ZeroTruck, a developer and producer of commercial electric trucks, is using Dow Kokam’s large-format lithium-ion battery systems to power fully-electric, Class 3-6 work vehicles based on the Isuzu N series chassis—a flexible medium duty truck platform. The ZeroTruck is available in Class 3-6 chassis and can operate at full highway speeds, with a 70-mile (113-kilometer) range in city driving. The Isuzu N series chassis design enables ZeroTruck to be modified for utility, dry freight, stake bed, tow, sweeper, and refuse body type applications.
ZeroTruck is building one truck for service on a federal campus in Washington DC, featuring an 18-foot dry freight body for facilities with delivery in early April 2011.
Dow Kokam was established in 2009 to develop and manufacture advanced energy storage technologies for the transportation and other industries. The company is owned by The Dow Chemical Company, TK Advanced Battery LLC and Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault.