Altair, Proterra sign lithium-ion battery order

Altair Nanotechnologies Inc. (Altairnano) received a follow-on $850,000 purchase order for its advanced lithium-ion battery modules required by Proterra to satisfy immediate end customer requirements for new all electric and hybrid-electric transit buses.

This purchase is a follow-on order from the initial $898,400 contract announced in August 2009. At that time, Proterra purchased battery modules for several zero-emission demonstration buses, one of which was displayed to Washington, D.C. policymakers in October 2009.

Altairnano will supply Proterra with advanced battery modules based on Altairnano's 1P10S configuration. Designed for use in commercial EV & HEV applications, the 1P10S module is expected to withstand the rigors of commercial transportation by offering high cycle life, reliability and high power. The 1P10S module configuration features an operating temperature range between -40 degreesC to +55 degreesC (-40 degreesF to +131 degreesF), which enables battery modules to operate effectively in broad temperature extremes, from cold Boston winters to the summer heat of the Southwest.

These 24-volt battery modules utilize Altairnano's 50Ah cell, feature a 10-minute charge when coupled with appropriate charging facilities and provide a cycle life up to 9,000 100 percent depth of discharge cycles.

The modules will primarily be used in the production of all-electric, 35-foot Proterra FCBE 35 transit buses. The FCBE 35 is the bus that demonstrated a fuel economy equivalency approaching 20 miles per gallon as measured by the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute at Penn State University. This achievement is recognized to be up to 400 percent better than today's conventional diesel or competitor's hybrid transit buses.