While Electro Energy is keeping its Gainesville factory busy making the standard 18650 type rechargeable lithium ion batteries, the company has continued to forge ahead in its better-battery oriented research. To that end, they have just announced a "contract award of $750,000 sponsored by Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to continue development of ultra-high energy density, rechargeable, lithium battery chemistry for Air Force applications."

According to a press release, the battery being developed involves a composite cathode of metal fluoride and should be more powerful and compact yet give the packaged batteries specific energies of 400-500 Wh/kg, which is about double that of modern lithium ion polymer cells. The potential impact for hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as for military applications such as UAVs and directed energy weapons, could eventually be enormous. That would turn the 200+ mile range of a Tesla Roadster to (engaging mythical mathematical prowess powers) over 400 miles or a 120 mile Aptera into, well, 240 miles. Now if they could also somehow halve the cost, your grandchildren may one day ask you what gasoline was.

[Source: Electro Energy, h/t to Karen]

Most of the lithium ion batteries available today are coming from the Far East. However, when problems such as factory fires or potentially prickly political situations arise, a domestic source is reassuring for certain customers. For this and other reasons, Electro Energy is happy to announce that after twelve months of intensive effort, they have completed the largest manufacturing facility for 18650-type cells outside Asia. The plant in the heart of Gator country, Gainesville Florida, which can put out over 30 million of the approximately AA-sized cells a year, has already been producing a large quantity that are being used for testing internally, by customers as well as independent labs. One customer has been so satisfied with their testing results they have already placed an order to be delivered immediately, so not only is the facility up and running but they are "in business."

The numbers on their 18650BX cells are pretty good too. They have a 2400mA capacity with a nominal voltage of 3.6V. Their volumetric energy density is 525 Wh/l and the specific energy is 188Wh/kg and the cells can operate at a temperature range of -30C to 60C. For all the nitty gritty details hit the jump for the press release.

Below the fold are two more videos from yesterday's Green the Capitol Office Expo. The first video is Electro Energy telling me about their battery which has a structure that takes up less space and weighs less than your average battery. Electro Energy showed a Prius hybrid with extra batteries added where the spare tire would usually go. The second video is a Prius converted by Hymotion for the Department of Energy. Hymotion, which was bought by A123Systems, adds lithium-ion batteries to the Prius extending the electric-powered range.