A123 Systems AONE +0.10% , a developer and manufacturer of advanced Nanophosphate(R) lithium ion phosphate batteries and systems, today announced an agreement with BAE Systems, a leading provider and developer of hybrid electric technologies, that expands the companies' long-standing relationship. Under the terms of the new agreement, A123 will supply lithium ion battery packs based on the company's prismatic cells to BAE for its HybriDrive(R) Series propulsion system. The new design is initially expected to be deployed on city transit busses, and as part of the new agreement, A123 will also supply lithium ion battery packs for additional versions of BAE's HybriDrive system for other commercial applications.
A123's battery packs are currently deployed in BAE HybriDrive systems on nearly 3,000 buses globally that have amassed more than 300 million service miles to date. The current HybriDrive system utilizes battery packs based on A123's cylindrical cells, but under the new agreement, A123 will deliver packs featuring the company's prismatic cells to satisfy BAE's requirements for a more compact and economical solution. The agreement also formalizes the terms of a previously announced customer warranty campaign through which A123 and BAE Systems are sharing in a program to retrofit and upgrade battery packs on hybrid busses in the field.
"We believe that our programs with BAE Systems have served as validation of our Nanophosphate battery technology as a dependable solution for hybrid bus applications, which has helped establish A123 as the leading provider of lithium ion battery systems for the heavy vehicle market," said Jason Forcier, vice president of the Automotive Solutions Group at A123. "We believe that our selection as the lithium ion battery supplier for BAE's HybriDrive Series propulsion system for city transit buses and other commercial vehicle applications serves as further validation of our core technology while also emphasizing A123's ability to develop cells and systems that meet customers evolving technical requirements."