US government lab, firms team up on lithium battery

Aiming to mass-produce a lithium battery for vehicles, 14 US companies with expertise in batteries and advanced materials have formed an alliance with a government laboratory, according to the lab.

The alliance, which includes battery industry giants such as 3M Co. and Johnson Controls-Saft, intends to secure €703 million to €1.4 billion in US government funding over the next five years to build a manufacturing facility with an "open foundry" for the participants to pursue the goal of perfecting lithium-ion batteries for cars.

"It's a huge deal for the nation, and for the lab," said Mark Peters, who is in charge of transportation and battery research at Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago, which will advise the group.

China, Japan and South Korea are the current leaders in lithium battery research, he said.