The Ministry of Economic Affairs said on Saturday it would increase investment in technology for making safer lithium batteries to tap into the growing world market for lithium-ion batteries.
Lin Chuan-neng (林全能), deputy director-general of the ministry’s Department of Industrial Technology, said that the ministry had invested NT$120 million (US$3.75) over the years to develop safer lithium-ion batteries.
With the support of the ministry, the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) last year developed STOBA — self-terminated technology oligomers with hyper-branched architecture — a material that enhances the safety of lithium batteries.
By integrating a nano-grade polymer, which forms a protective film much like a nano-grade fuse, a locking effect is generated when the battery encounters excessive heat, external impact or piercing, and electrical and chemical action is interrupted, thus preventing explosions, Lin said.
“This year we will allocate NT$160 million and will invest more next year,” Lin said.
Taiwan hopes to become a testing ground for electric cars developed globally and to tap into a China project called “1,000 electric cars in 10 cities,” he said.
The department predicted that global sales of electric cars would grow by 7.29 million in 2018, of which 85.9 percent — or 6.26 million cars — would be powered by lithium-ion batteries.
Lin added that Taiwan alone was expected to have 3,000 electric cars by 2015, and the lithium-ion battery market could reach US$3.6 million.
“Taiwan will target China as the main market for its electric cars,” Lin said, adding that this would spur both sides of the Taiwan Strait to develop a standard for lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium batteries account for about one-third of the production costs of an electric car, he said.
“Anyone who can develop a battery that is safe, cheap and long-lasting will have a strong competitive edge in the world electric car market,” Lin said.
He said at present electric cars are still plagued by problems such as short battery life and long recharging time.
In the future, electric cars should be able to travel at least 200km or between 300km and 500km, batteries should last more than 10 years and prices would be more affordable, he said.
Lin said that the ITRI would collaborate with E-One Moli Energy Corp (能元科技) and Amita Technologies Inc (有量科技), two leading Taiwan manufacturers of lithium batteries, to mass produce batteries and tap into the electric car market.
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