Kirk Lindstrom

Li-ion Battery Manufacturers: The Bleeding Edge of Energy Storage Technology

On viability, note I said "yet"... it seems we agree it is not viable at the current price of its products.

I think from my comment on your other article on the Volt, I think VLNC has a shot at being competitive if they can get costs down by a third to a half. IF Obama's stimulus plan is to have manufacturing in the US so they can use VLNC batteries in the vans Ford will sell (Tanfield + Smith Electric Vehicles) and to reduce dependence on foreign oil... a low cost loan to build manufacturing in the US helps get over the cost hump until they get scale. I bet it saves on shipping costs to have batteries close to the assembly plants too.

Check out the photos here:
www.courier-journal.co...
Note that U-Charge is a Valence product. 8^)

My sense is the US government under Obama is FINALLY going to to what it should have done after the oil embargo of the 1970s.... and that is subsidize alternative energy until it can get costs down to counter illegal price fixing by Opec. I think it is a mistake to build cars with "exploding battery deflectors" inside to repeat the Pinto mistake we made in the 1970s to go cheap....

I'll send you the write-up I just did on VLNC if I can find your email address in your profile.

Li-ion Battery Manufacturers: The Bleeding Edge of Energy Storage Technology

Here is California, people have bought hybrids to get the sticker from the state that allows solo drivers to use the commuter lanes. For some, that is worth $10,000 extra. Add in the image they can project to their "Palo Alto neighbors" who seem to have a Prius in every driveway.... there is value to many in being green besides savings at the gas pump. Others who have children fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan might feel the expense of a hybrid is justified too.

Otherwise, thanks for making your points well. I own and cover VLNC in my newsletter but mostly for trading with a cost per share break-even now of about 8¢. I need reminders that this is not a viable company yet so I need to not get overly exuberant when it has big jumps in price...