Co-funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with a 50% cost-share by Johnson Controls, the 24-month programme is aimed at further developing the company’s existing hard-cased prismatic cell technology to make it more energy-dense, in turn making future hybrid and electric vehicle batteries cheaper, smaller and lighter.

The cells will be built at the company’s battery factory in Milwaukee, or lithium-ion manufacturing facility in Holland, Michigan, and support USABC’s parent organisation the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) in its goals of making electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles more commercially viable.

Steve Zimmer, executive director of USCAR, commented: ‘We are pleased to announce the award of this contract to Johnson Controls Inc. as part of USABC’s leading battery technology R&D programs, which provide exceptional value to our companies, consumers and the industry

‘These programs are essential to advance the technology needed to meet both near- and long-term goals that will enable a broad spectrum of vehicle electrification and alternative-fuel hybridization.’