SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Products with nonremovable batteries are the target of a new state recycling fee structure in California that expands the state’s electronic waste program, targeting everything from power tools with embedded batteries to video game consoles.
ARNSTADT, Germany—Engineers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems are developing a sodium-ion battery that uses lignin, a by-product of the wood and pulp industry, as an electrode.
In July 2022, Panasonic announced it would build a new lithium-ion battery plant in DeSoto, Kansas, a small town located right off a major highway. The plant is being built for the rapidly growing electric vehicle market. It's estimated the project will bring 4,000 permanent jobs to the state, and according to Kansas Department of Commerce officials, it is the most significant economic development project in state history.
The Multi Tech charging station uses the HS-T Frequency Modulation Impulse Charging Process so batteries for cordless tools can achieve up to 15 percent more runtime per charge.
A plain-looking warehouse near Detroit is being transformed into a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery assembly plant. General Motors Co. (GM) is investing $43 million in the facility to mass-produce battery packs for the Chevrolet Volt and other extended-range electric vehicles. When the 160,000-square-foot facility opens next year, it will be the first lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant in the U.S. operated by a major automaker.
Lithium-ion batteries are today's hot technology in the auto industry. However, the devices have traditionally been expensive to produce. To capture a piece of the lithium-ion battery business, American manufacturers need to invest heavily in automated assembly lines.
As gasoline prices continue to soar, more and more consumers are purchasing hybrid electric vehicles that improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. To bolster demand, state and local governments are offering numerous incentives, such as tax breaks, dedicated traffic lanes and parking privileges.
