A123 Systems

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A123 Systems, Inc.

logo
legal form Inc.
founding 2001
Seat Waltham, Massachusetts, USA
Number of employees 1100
Website www.a123systems.com

A123 Systems, Inc. is an American manufacturer of round cell lithium iron phosphate batteries founded in 2001, which was taken over by the Chinese manufacturer Wanxiang after its bankruptcy in 2012 . The nanoelectrode technology protected by A123Systems is based on developments by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .

The company employed over 1100 people. The largest investors in this private company were: General Electric , Alliance Capital, Sequoia Capital , CMEA Ventures, FA Technology Ventures, OnPoint, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Motorola , Qualcomm and, via Duracell, Procter & Gamble . The company name (company) A123Systems is borrowed from the formula for calculating the Hamaker force constant . The formula describes the force of attraction or repulsion existing between nanoparticles and begins with A123 .

history

Former building of the A123 Systems Advanced Research Group in Michigan, USA

In November 2005, A123Systems announced the availability of a fast-charging lithium-ion battery system. The lithium iron phosphate battery from A123Systems is based on doped nanophosphate, the technology is licensed from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A large number of different cells were produced, which are used in DeWalt tools, for starting aircraft engines, hybrid vehicles , electric vehicles and in photovoltaics , among other things . In December 2006, the United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) signed a contract with A123Systems for $ 15 million. USABC is an organization owned by FCA US , Ford and General Motors . USABC signed the contract in collaboration with the United States Department of Energy to further develop A123Systems' proprietary nanophosphate technology for use in hybrid vehicles. The development goal is a high-performance system that is tolerant of abuse, cost-efficient to manufacture and has a long service life.

The company went public on September 24, 2009. Since then, A123Systems has been listed on the US technology exchange NASDAQ under ISIN US03739T1088. The issue price was $ 13.50; the company sold 28.1 million shares, raising $ 380 million.

On October 16, 2012, the company had to file for bankruptcy. On December 9, 2012, China's largest auto parts manufacturer Wanxiang was awarded the contract for 256.6 million US dollars. Johnson Controls , NEC Corporation and Siemens also took part in the auction . On December 11, 2012, the purchase was upheld by a court in Delaware .

Since then it has been producing for Karma Automotive , among others .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Batteriezukunft.de, June 27, 2013: China is clearing the market for battery materials made of lithium iron phosphate ( Memento of July 23, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), accessed July 21, 2013
  2. ↑ Information from the A123Systems website ( Memento of March 7, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
  3. ↑ Green Car Congress: A123Systems Launches New Higher-Power, Faster Recharging Li-Ion Battery Systems ( Memento from April 18, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
  4. ↑ https://www.uscar.org/guest/members-and-partners/
  5. ↑ Bankruptcy of a battery manufacturer could harm Obama . Handelsblatt. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
  6. ^ Court OKs sale of US government-backed A123 to Chinese firm . Reuters. Retrieved December 14, 2012.

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