Lithium-ion battery Lithium-speed driving demand for
March 11th, 2010 by lqbatteryshop
Rising gasoline prices and enhanced consumer awareness of green has been the global automotive industry to re-examine its power drive systems, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric vehicles has now become (HEV) application of technology come to the fore.
Analysts pointed out that the face of near-zero emissions from the point of view, hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) battery with 2015 sales of lithium is expected to more than 500 million U.S. dollars.
At present, Rockwood Holdings, Chile, Sociedad Quimicay Minera (SQM) and FMC Corporation is the world’s largest manufacturer of lithium, the effectiveness of lithium to be due to a large number of new applications.
1. Car lithium-ion battery development prospects
Of lithium in lithium-ion battery applications has been recognized. The first phase of the cell phone applications, each cell need to use about 1 / 10 ounce of lithium carbonate. The second stage is the application of portable computers, lithium carbonate need to use the mobile phone usage is about 10 times.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) use of APPLE M8403 Laptop Battery for laptop computers need to use lithium-lithium amount of 100 times.
Lithium-ion batteries is expected to be the performance of HEV to play a key plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) using the combustion engine and electric drive both systems. HEV, including plug-in hybrid system (PHEV), the system in use prior to combustion engines due to store enough electricity can be driven by battery power, a certain distance. In addition, the pure electric vehicle (EV) does not set the combustion engine, rely on battery-electric drives. Lithium-ion batteries is expected to make plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) of price and performance to natural gas-powered cars comparable.
Although Nickel - Metal Hydride has been applied to most of the HEV batteries, but lithium-ion battery and the battery compared to chemical manufacturing, larger and smaller power. Toyota’s Prius hybrid electric cars common to nickel - metal hydride battery-powered. Toyota said that by 2010, hybrid sales of 1 million years.
Chemical manufacturers invest in plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) there is opportunity for development. Rockwood company has developed proprietary technology conductive lithium salts, lithium salts can help to overcome such a conductive battery chemistry some of the challenges. SQM company and Europe, Japan, Korea and the United States set up a major manufacturer of cathode commercial alliance to develop automotive lithium-ion batteries.
However, the auto industry into mass production of HEV is still in its initial stages, car batteries, lithium is still a very small amount. The strong growth in other end-user demand, as well as the right price, will continue to support lithium demand.
Bank of America, Kevin McCarthy, according to the forecast, HEV lithium battery sales will grow to 2015 by about 6 billion U.S. dollars. Analysis, HEV lithium there is more long-term development opportunities. It is estimated that by 2010 sales of approximately one million hybrid electric vehicles, will double annual sales by 2015. Bank of America, Kevin McCarthy expects 2015 operating income of lithium battery consumption will account for nearly half of the amount of pure electric vehicle batteries will be in 2007 the total revenues of less than 1% of lithium up to 2015, accounting for 1 / 4.
Rockwood company in 2007 from the lithium carbonate, lithium metal and lithium compounds derived from the total operating revenues of about 4.5 billion U.S. dollars. FMC’s 2007 sales of 210 million U.S. dollars lithium. And Rockwood’s similar to, FMC produced lithium carbonate and special common downstream lithium products. SQM is the world’s leading manufacturer of lithium carbonate, which in 2007 came from lithium and lithium derivatives revenues 179.8 million U.S. dollars.
Batteries, and medical end-users together accounted for about Rockwood’s lithium supply of 40%. Analysts believe the near term, the demand for lithium in the pharmaceutical sector will be mainly affected by strong demand for butyl lithium and other battery applications of lithium hydroxide, lithium carbonate and demand pull.
Battery lithium carbonate production of the consumption in HEV cases has shown a great demand there is no double-digit rate. 2007 demand growth by nearly 20% is expected over the medium term will continue to be higher than 10% of the rate.
In addition to battery applications, the rapid increase in the medium term are presented in the grease, lubricants lithium hydroxide, glass and glass-melting material with lithium carbonate, air-conditioning with lithium carbonate and so on.
With lithium-ion battery-powered HEV accelerate into the commercial market, the battery company Johnson Controls-Saft was in January 2007 in France, a large-scale production of the world’s first HEV battery production plant, and has been with the Mercedes hybrid electric vehicle company signed Class the supply of lithium-ion battery contracts, Class hybrid electric vehicles in commercial production in early 2009. Japan’s NEC Electronics, the annual production in 2009 will be 13000 lithium-ion batteries by 2010 expansion to 6.5 million units, to apply to the Nissan hybrid electric vehicles.
Some car manufacturers to use lithium-ion battery-powered hybrid electric vehicle program being developed. Tesla Motors has been the United States in March 2008 to begin production 2008 Tesla Roadster hybrid electric vehicles, we will launch the 2009 model. Toyota and Matsushita’s joint venture Panasonic EV Energy Company in 2009 limited production vehicle with IBM THINKPAD X40 Laptop Battery in 2010, will shift to mass production.
A number of other lithium-ion battery manufacturers, including South Korea’s LG Chemical Company, the Corporation and South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company has signed a contract with effect from July 2009 to the company Accent hybrid electric vehicle supply lithium-ion battery. Saturn’s PHEV and General Motors Corporation Volt EV mass production in 2010. Sanyo Electric Company will begin production of 1.5 ~ 20000 / year lithium-ion battery for HEV use in 2011. Volkswagen’s hybrid electric cars in 2010 using the Sanyo Electric Company lithium-ion battery technology.
2009 lithium-ion rechargeable battery market was formally established. This is because in Japan and overseas car manufacturers have started to use passenger cars on the lithium-ion rechargeable battery. Domestic manufacturers in Japan, Toyota Motor, Fuji Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Motors has decided to adopt, whereas in Europe and the United States, Daimler also said that adoption. In addition, Nissan, Germany, Audi, General Motors is also prepared to adopt in 2010.
Decision hybrid (HEV) and electric vehicles (EV) performance of most of the most important changes will occur rechargeable battery. Reason is that Toyota, Nissan, Japan’s top automobile manufacturers have since introduced in 2009, is equipped with lithium-ion rechargeable battery models.
Objects involved in HEV, EV, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and other fields. Toyota said it will start a subsidiary in 2009 - Panasonic EV Energy small batch production for the PHEV lithium-ion rechargeable battery, started mass production in 2010.
In 2000, “Tino Hybrid” style on the first lithium-ion rechargeable battery is equipped with Nissan, also in 2010 with mass production of lithium-ion rechargeable battery HEV and EV. HEV intended for rear-wheel-drive vehicles, now made public, as well as transverse gearbox in the baggage compartment is equipped with lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The battery will Nissan and NEC, NEC Dong-Jin, a joint venture Automotive Energy Supply (AESC) provides.
In addition to Toyota, Nissan, other major vendors are also expected to use lithium-ion rechargeable battery. Fuji Heavy Industries scheduled to volume production in 2009 in order to “Plugin Stella Concept” for the prototype EV, Nissan will be the same car, using AESC manufactured batteries. In addition, Mitsubishi Motors will also be purchasing and GS Yuasa Corporation (GS Yuasa) such as a joint venture between Lithium Energy Japan (LEJ) batteries manufactured in 2009, mass production of EV “i MiEV”.
Honda plans to HEV additional new models in 2009, and in 2010 in the “Fit” in additional HEV models, but has yet to show that in general the use of HEV lithium-ion rechargeable battery. However, the company in November 2008 in Japan began to rent out fuel cell hybrid vehicle “FCX Clarity” is equipped with lithium-ion rechargeable battery, replacing the capacitor has been used previously.
In the overseas manufacturers, the Volkswagen Group in Germany is scheduled for 2010 Audi listing of HEV, one of the lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, Sanyo Electric Co. will start mass production from 2009. The General Motors decision to the HEV market in 2010, the lithium-ion rechargeable batteries will also be vehicles, energy Hitachi (Hitachi Vehicle Energy) from the mass production by the end of 2009.
2. Lithium continued expansion of production capacity
Rockwood, SQM, and FMC Lithium production companies accounted for about 3 / 4, some of China’s lithium production of small-scale producers account for about 1 / 4. SQM’s production of the global lithium carbonate supply about 35%. Rockwood Corporation, through its specialty chemicals business unit Chemetall produces about 30% of the world’s lithium carbonate, while FMC’s production accounts for about 5% ~ 10%.
In 2009, the world’s lithium resources consumption of 8 million tons, is expected to five years later, the United States alone 10 million lithium-electric cars, the demand would consume 100,000 tons lithium resources. Since 2005, lithium prices soaring by more than 10 million yuan per ton in November 2009 rose to more than 60 million yuan per ton.
In 2008 the world’s lithium production (as lithium carbonate equivalent) estimates of 8 million ton / year. The status quo of the global lithium carbonate industry, resource threshold high, capacity is highly concentrated. As of late 2008, the global lithium carbonate total demand of about 95,000 tons, a major international manufacturers have Chile’s SQM, the United States, FMC and Germany Chemtall aggregate annual capacity of 79,000 tons, accounting for 80% of global market share. Large-scale production of lithium carbonate as the enterprise must have reserves of lithium resources are more abundant in salt lake resources, mining rights, which makes the resources of the industry with higher barriers to entry; the other hand, the vast majority of the world’s resources are high-magnesium salt low lithium-based , and from high-Mg low-lithium brine separation of lithium carbonate in the purification process technology is very difficult to master prior to these technologies is only a few hands of foreign companies, which makes lithium carbonate industry, but also provides many technical TOSHIBA PA3399U-1BAS Laptop Battery. Therefore, lithium carbonate has created the industry’s global oligopoly structure.
Lithium mainly from the three suppliers, “Lithium Triangle” (Argentina, Bolivia and Chile) to produce lithium brine deposits. SQM and the Rockwood companies from Chile’s Salar de Atacama region’s production of lithium, the advantage of lithium at high concentrations and evaporation rates high, in the production process can be using solar energy. In addition to outside of South America, Rockwood companies are also Silver Peak, Nevada, United States production of lithium through the brine.
FMC Corporation from Salar de Hombre Muerto in Argentina, the brine storage in the production of lithium, a filtration process, filtration processes faster but more costly than other processes.
Previously, Li Li-hui quarry sediments from the extract. Through this process, however, to produce, because the purity is low, require multiple extraction steps and is energy-intensive process. China is now only used from spodumene to produce a large number of lithium carbonate.
South America’s storage capacity is growing. SQM company is the lithium carbonate production capacity from 3 million tons / year in the third quarter of 2008 expanded to about 4 million tons / year. If market demand is strong, it will be extended to be able to 6 million ton / year.
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia has a lithium storage of about 550 million tons.
Admiralty Resources Inc. plans to develop north of Rincon Salara Argentina extended the brine mining, the mine has a lithium carbonate equivalent of 10.5 thousand tons. All production will be the world’s supply of lithium carbonate is about 20%. The company goal is to put into production in 2009. 50 tons / year mid-sized device was put into operation in April 2008.
At present from the “Li-triangle” production of lithium is still a great economic cost advantage. However, rising prices are contributing to the development of lithium storage outside of South America. Norway’s Nordic mining company through the acquisition of lithium-development project in Finland to become the first European industrial lithium carbonate for battery manufacturers. The company expects production in 2013 in Finland 3300 tons / year lithium carbonate. Esmeralda County, Nevada, USA has the prospects for development of lithium brine mine, Black Pearl will be developed in the mining companies, including California, Nevada and Utah, Great Basin, including lithium brine mine.
The first 20 years, Chinese manufacturers have also implemented the increase. China in 2007, total world lithium market is about 1 / 4. The next 2 to 5 years, China will be able to significantly expand its production capacity is expected to have more than doubled.
Lithium-ion battery source of raw material in our very extensive. China is the world’s lithium resources, power, especially in salt lake in Qinghai and Tibet, a large number of lithium resources, the development of Salt Lake not only for low-cost lithium-ion battery to provide raw materials, but also conducive to the development of the western region. At the same time, manganese, iron, vanadium, and phosphorus-rich resources in China are. Permanent magnet synchronous motor with a small size, high efficiency, light weight and features, while China is a big country of rare earth permanent magnetic materials for lithium-electric cars, provided the material guarantee.
China has been found in the Qaidam Basin, lithium brine mine, but the Chinese brine mining low concentration, so that China-made lithium-price than the company SQM, and Rockwood to twice.
Lithium Salt Lake in the independent R & D, which provides technology and production process of magnesium on the basis of a number of large industrial enterprises in China in recent years in the depths of the Qaidam Basin Zabuye Salt Lake and start building lithium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide and other chemical products production base. The current domestic production of lithium carbonate enterprises mainly in Tibet, mining, CITIC Guoan, Western Mining Group, Qinghai Salt Lake Group, the four companies, while the Tibetan mining and CITIC Guoan has accounted for the vast majority of them, the two companies in 2008 Lithium Carbonate Total output of more than 4,000 SONY PCGA-BP2NX Laptop Batterires.
October 12, 2009, Toyota Tsusho Corporation (hereinafter referred to Toyota Tsusho) and China CITIC Guoan Information Industry Company Limited (hereinafter referred to as CITIC Guoan) signed a letter of intent, the two sides will cooperate in production and sale of battery grade lithium carbonate and downstream products . Toyota Tsusho is the Toyota Group in automotive related business trading company; CITIC Guoan is a subsidiary of CITIC Group’s listed companies, now has the West taijnar Qinghai Salt Lake, an area of 570 square kilometers, is a liquid lithium-based mining large deposits of lithium carbonate in obvious advantages in resources. This is a new signal that the competition has been a new energy vehicles advance to the upstream resources.
China’s Tibet Autonomous Region Economic Commission first announced in late August 2008, Tibet will expand the resource base of China’s largest lithium-Zabuye Salt Lake, their investment would be as high as 1.084 billion yuan. After the project put into operation, annual sales revenue of 639 million yuan, profits and taxes 200 million yuan. The expansion project would be a lithium salt and 5,000 tons / year based on the construction of lithium salt 2 million ton / year, 5,000 tons of lithium chloride / year, lithium 500 tons / year, 200 tons of high-purity lithium / year, lithium material 30 tons / year, and other lithium compounds, 490 tons / year production capacity. Zabuye Salt Lake in Tibet Xigaze Zhongba County, is the world’s known resources of more than three lithium-megaton is one of the very large salt lake, its surface brine, intergranular brine and solid minerals are inclusive of lithium carbonate, total reserves of up to 2.4663 million tons. Of which only the surface to control the economic base of brine reserves reached 704.1 thousand tons, the amount of lithium resources in China ranks first.
Statistics show that the hinterland of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is located in the Qaidam Basin, rich in potassium, sodium, magnesium, lithium, boron and other mineral resources, including magnesium chloride 3.1 billion tons, accounting for about 99% of the country to maintain reserves; lithium chloride nearly 14 million tons, accounting for 83% of the country to maintain reserves. In early 2007, Qinghai CITIC Guoan Technology Development Corporation’s West taijnar hu-ton lithium carbonate projects in Qaidam Basin formally put into production, so that the West Lake taijnar become an important production base for lithium carbonate.
In addition, China’s largest mining brine has a high magnesium / lithium ratio, processing may be more complex.
Allegedly hybrid electric vehicles or pure electric vehicle batteries, and other applications will continue to increase in demand for lithium. In the current demand for speed, the global supply is expected to meet in 1775, the Salar de Atacama in Chile has 6.9 million tons recoverable lithium, Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia has 5.5 million tons recoverable lithium.
Lithium Jiangxi Province New Energy and Industrial Base on November 17, 2009 in Jiangxi Province, Yichun City park opened. It is the nation’s first lithium battery industry base, Yichun will be playing three years of its lithium carbonate caused by Asia’s largest production base, five-year period power play caused by lithium battery, China’s largest production base. Yichun, Jiangxi province has the world’s largest lithium mine, is now proven recoverable reserves of lithium oxide is 110 million tons, accounting for 31% of the country, accounting for 12% of the world, and use well the resources, Yichun’s “lithium industry” is incredibly . It is understood that the nation’s first lithium battery industrial base, planning area of 20 square kilometers (30,000 acres), there are already new U.S. energy sources, the Chinese home, Foster and other power projects in more than 20 lithium-signed enrollment contracts signed funding of over 10 billion yuan. Lithium to face the future development of the industry is expected to development objectives is divided into three stages: 2009 ~ 2012, lithium power output of new energy industries and strive to reach 8.0 billion before the end of 2012; 2013 and 2015, lithium CLP’s new energy industry beginning to take shape, and strive to the year before the end of 2015 the output value of 300 billion yuan; 2016 to 2020, formed a relatively complete HP F2024A Laptop Battery new energy industry cluster, and strive to break through the end of 2020 output value of 100 billion yuan the previous year.