U.S. Firms Join Forces to Build Car Batteries
 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1229...ml?mod=testMod

Fourteen U.S. technology companies are joining forces and seeking $1 billion in federal aid to build a plant to make advanced batteries for electric cars, in a bid to catch up to Asian rivals that are far ahead of the U.S.

The effort, the latest pitch from corporate America to inject federal dollars into a project, is similar to an alliance that two decades ago helped the U.S. computer-chip industry restore its competitiveness. Participants include 3M Corp. and Johnson Controls Inc.

Many experts believe battery technology and manufacturing capacity could become as strategically important as oil is today. Auto makers, including General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co., say they plan to roll out plug-in electric cars by 2010. But the U.S. has limited capacity to make the lithium-ion batteries those cars will need. Asian producers such as Panasonic Corp. dominate the car-battery field.

Re: U.S. Firms Join Forces to Build Car Batteries
 

Good find! Thanks!

Bob Wilson

Re: U.S. Firms Join Forces to Build Car Batteries
 

Nothing like a crisis to get folks thinking about alternatives heh.

Re: U.S. Firms Join Forces to Build Car Batteries