Why LEJ batteries for Outlander, not Toshiba?

[PolishPilot]

Mitsubishi has chosen to use the Lithium Energy Japan batteries for the Outlander PHEV,
instead of the Toshiba SCiB™ used for the iMiEV, with all the known consequences (delays, failures).

Why?


The SCiB™ seems to have much better parameters and is gaining ground in many applications.
http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2011_06/pr1603.htm

Any thoughts?

 

[PolishPilot]

The advantages would be significant:

In June 2011 Mitsubishi announced the introduction of lithium titanate oxide SCiB battery technology for its two new models of electric vehicles, the i-MiEV and Minicab MiEV. The SCiB technology was developed by Toshiba, which stated that its SCiB batteries can withstand 2.5 times more charge/discharge cycles than a typical lithium-ion battery. In addition, recharging via CHAdeMO takes much less time than charging at the AC Level 2 rate used by most electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), allowing the SCiB battery to reach 80% capacity in 15 minutes, 50% in 10 minutes and 25% in 5 minutes. In terms of performance, the SCiB battery offers a higher effective capacity than a typical lithium-ion battery, which combined with more efficient regenerative charging during braking or coasting downhill, allows the SCiB battery to deliver 1.7 times the driving range per charge of a typical lithium-ion battery of the same size. Alternatively, the carmaker could install a smaller battery with less weight and keep the same range to contribute to lower the vehicle price as compared to lithium-ion batteries.

 

[maby]

The cynic in me would suggest that the iMiev is a pure electric car and needs to have the best battery technology around whereas the PHEV is a plug-in hybrid and the design brief is to do just enough with the electric drive to duck all sorts of taxes and associated costs. The thirty-odd mile EV range is enough to turn in very good fuel economy and CO2 emissions on all the major national government sponsored test regimes - if the EU decided to double the length of the test circuit, we would be paying far higher benefit in kind, Congestion Charge, road tax, etc. etc.

 

[gwatpe]

The PHEV is possibly the worse shape to have as an EV. For those in the know, efficient EV travel is really all about lowest possible wind resistance. World Solar Challenge conclusively proved this for EV. The PHEV could benefit with a lower curb weight, bigger battery capacity and a bigger petrol tank to name a few, but what has been supplied, ticks many boxes at the moment. Mitsubishi had reasons for supplying the battery in the vehicle as it is. Price and potential government incentives and sales breaks would be factors.

 

[maby]

The PHEV is possibly the worse shape to have as an EV. For those in the know, efficient EV travel is really all about lowest possible wind resistance. World Solar Challenge conclusively proved this for EV. The PHEV could benefit with a lower curb weight, bigger battery capacity and a bigger petrol tank to name a few, but what has been supplied, ticks many boxes at the moment. Mitsubishi had reasons for supplying the battery in the vehicle as it is. Price and potential government incentives and sales breaks would be factors.

Exactly - many (most?) drivers do two rather distinct types of driving - relatively short daily trips for commuting and shopping, and less frequent, far longer trips for things like holidays and visiting friends and relatives. We're a good example - we live just to the north of London and on weekdays we generally drive four or five miles per day with a trip of around 30 miles into London to visit the office two or three times per month. We also go on holiday across Europe most years and do a 160-ish mile round trip to our boat almost every weekend.

Our weekday use is a great match for a small pure EV - but they are ridiculously expensive for what they are. For holidays and weekends, we want a large and preferable 4WD vehicle. The Outlander is the perfect vehicle - we do our weekday travel mostly as an EV and on holiday or at weekends, it becomes a conventional petrol car. The balance between weekday and weekend use is such that we will not see anything like the theoretical best fuel economy, but it will still be good by the standards of a relatively large SUV. Our visits into London could theoretically be 100% EV, but I would have to recharge while I was in the office and it is quite a long walk to the nearest car park with charging facilities, so I suspect that the return journey will be burning petrol most days.