Douglas Korthof

Lithium Batteries: Nothing But Illusion

One correction:

'...There is mention of Bolivian reserves, which is mining geology’s term for estimated quantities “unverified” by believed to be present due to professional surveys and comparisons with other known deposits of similar types...'

s.b.

'...There is mention of Bolivian <b><i>reso... which is mining geology’s term for estimated quantities “unverified” <b><i>but&... believed to be present due to professional surveys and comparisons with other known deposits of similar types..."

"resources" are unproven so far as economically viable for extraction; "reserves" are bankable. For example, gold "resources" can be 10 million pounds, but if it's less than 1 gm per ton, it's not viable to mine it with current technology and at current prices, and can't be considered "reserves".

Lithium Batteries: Nothing But Illusion

Chevron's use of IP to suppress use of NiMH batteries and their use in plug-in cars violates laws against unfair trade practices IMO.

In addition, use of oil money to buy up EV battery patents goes against the very idea of patent rights, which are intended to promote the improvement of technology.

In this case, Toyota was penalized for improving the NiMH batteries, and their use was in practice suppressed until Chevron's rights are either stripped away by the Courts or until they expire.


On Apr 20 06:47 AM Douglas Korthof wrote:

> Very important article and true as far as it goes.
>
> FYI, the 1999 EV1 with PSB 1260 lead-acid batteries had a range of
> over 100 miles on a charge, and would work for the VOLT (the volt
> Lithium battery is 400 lbs., if that were PSB 1260 it would have
> 8 kWh, enouigh to go 40 miles in all-electric range).
>
> Nickel metal hydride batteries developed by Toyota-Panasonic's unit
> PEVE proved to actually last more than 10 years and more than 100,000
> miles, and are still running on the roads of California.
>
> Why is no one talking about lead or NIMH? Because GM is still lying,
> or painfully ignorant, about batteries.
>
> Lutz himself knows nothing about batteries; recall that he was CEO
> of EXIDE battery corp. when it filed for bankruptcy due to excessive
> debt and over-enthusiastic bombast about "Li Ion" batteries.
>
> Petersen is correct about lead-acid.
>
> General Motors bought up control of the NiMH patent rights in 1994,
> trying to suppress its use, claiming that it would not work in cars
> because of the heat problem. When Toyota improved NiMH so that it
> solved that problem, GM sold control of the patent rights to Texaco
> on Oct. 10, 2000. Six days later, Texaco announced it was bringing
> the patents to Chevron (Standard Oil of California). The year after
> the merger was consummated, Chevron funded a lawsuit by its COBASYS
> unit against Toytota.
>
> In Dec., 2002, Toyota agreed to stop selling the Toyota RAV4-EV,
> which we are still driving to this day, and Toyota stopped making
> the EV-95 improved NiMH battery that GM had claimed could not be
> done. Toyota had to pay Chevron et al $30,000,000, and to this day,
> you are unable to buy the EV-95 NiMH battery.
>
> That's why we are all driving on pre-2002 battery packs, which are
> still running fine.
>
> NiMH or lead-acid are the solution; Lithium is a bogus distraction,
> a con-job (at least so far), and a source of many investoer losses.

Lithium Batteries: Nothing But Illusion

Very important article and true as far as it goes.

FYI, the 1999 EV1 with PSB 1260 lead-acid batteries had a range of over 100 miles on a charge, and would work for the VOLT (the volt Lithium battery is 400 lbs., if that were PSB 1260 it would have 8 kWh, enouigh to go 40 miles in all-electric range).

Nickel metal hydride batteries developed by Toyota-Panasonic's unit PEVE proved to actually last more than 10 years and more than 100,000 miles, and are still running on the roads of California.

Why is no one talking about lead or NIMH? Because GM is still lying, or painfully ignorant, about batteries.

Lutz himself knows nothing about batteries; recall that he was CEO of EXIDE battery corp. when it filed for bankruptcy due to excessive debt and over-enthusiastic bombast about "Li Ion" batteries.

Petersen is correct about lead-acid.

General Motors bought up control of the NiMH patent rights in 1994, trying to suppress its use, claiming that it would not work in cars because of the heat problem. When Toyota improved NiMH so that it solved that problem, GM sold control of the patent rights to Texaco on Oct. 10, 2000. Six days later, Texaco announced it was bringing the patents to Chevron (Standard Oil of California). The year after the merger was consummated, Chevron funded a lawsuit by its COBASYS unit against Toytota.

In Dec., 2002, Toyota agreed to stop selling the Toyota RAV4-EV, which we are still driving to this day, and Toyota stopped making the EV-95 improved NiMH battery that GM had claimed could not be done. Toyota had to pay Chevron et al $30,000,000, and to this day, you are unable to buy the EV-95 NiMH battery.

That's why we are all driving on pre-2002 battery packs, which are still running fine.

NiMH or lead-acid are the solution; Lithium is a bogus distraction, a con-job (at least so far), and a source of many investoer losses.