Can Aoyou Power Lithium-Manganese Power Battery be industrialized?

At the China International Battery Technology Exhibition (CIBF2018) held recently, Zhejiang Aoyou Power System Co., Ltd. brought its own new technology products rich in lithium-manganese power batteries. QunAi, deputy general manager of Aoyou Power, told reporters that in material research and development. Aoyou Power not only insists on the target of benchmarking industrialization, but also strives to reduce costs.

As a lithium battery rookie, Aoyou Power is laid out in terms of production capacity.

QunAi: Zhejiang Aoyou Power System Co., Ltd. was established in November 2016 with a registered capital of 200 million Yuan. It is located in the national Huzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone and is affiliated to Zhejiang Zhixin Holding Group. The world-class lithium-ion battery technology team headed by Dr. Chen Guangsen is the first in China to focus on the research and development and production of polymer lithium-ion batteries. The battery preparation technology is the industry leader, with more than 20 battery-related patents. The battery system has been operating on the bus for three consecutive years (2015~2017) with 300,000 km of fault-free performance, and has been used and trusted by customers such as Iridium Bus, Dongfeng Motor and Chongqing Lifan.

At present, there are two bases for Aoyou Power. Nanxun is the starting base. Huzhou also has a base 2.5 kilometers away from the high-speed railway station. Together with the Zhaoqing base, the planned production capacity is 4.5GWh in 2018. In February 2017, the production base of the 200-mu land in Zhaoqing Phase I began to be rebuilt, and the equipment entered the factory. The trial production began in August and September. At present, the production capacity of 1.5GWH has been formed in this production line in Zhaoqing.

At the beginning of this year, Aoyou Power also tendered Zhaoqing's second production line and Huzhou's first production line. It is expected that equipment will be in place in June this year and trial production in August. It is expected to reach production in October.

What are the current OEM customers of Aoyou Power?

QunAi: At present, the development of customers is relatively smooth, because the production capacity is planned this year, the budget lithium iron phosphate has 800 million watt-hours, the ternary materials have 6 to 800 watt-hours, and the new products are rich in lithium-manganese power batteries. It is around 250 million to 300 million watt hours. lithium iron phosphate products are currently mainly supplied to commercial vehicles, and are compatible with CRRC, Ankai and Nanjing Jinlong.

The passenger car is mainly in cooperation with Liuqi, and also serves the Drip Project. The lithium-rich manganese is used for the new day and land local boat. In addition, the logistics vehicle has signed an order with Dongfeng. Basically, the production capacity of one line has been fully allocated, and it will face insufficient production capacity. Therefore, the second and third production lines must pay close attention to construction and form new production capacity.

How do you see three Korean companies entering the white list of power batteries?

QunAi: I think Chinese battery companies can't underestimate themselves and overestimate others. Korean companies have advantages in terms of technology and other aspects, which will have a certain impact on domestic enterprises. However, we should all take the leading enterprise CATL as the benchmark, practice hard work, master the core technology, and establish the quality system. We don't necessarily have to do worse than Samsung or LG. We have seen some data. We think that some aspects are definitely not behind, and even exceed them, but competition will definitely intensify.

The cost control of Korean companies has done a good job. Does Aoyou Power have an advantage in price?

QunAi: Unless it is large-scale production, the current material cost accounts for more than 70% of the total sales, and the manufacturing cost gross margin is below 20% or even 15%, basically at the break-even point or loss. Therefore, cost reduction is the most important. There are many ways to control costs, all kinds of expenses must be reduced, and the most important thing is to start from the source of research and development. Our lithium-rich manganese battery is produced in this state. After eight years of research and development, it can now enter the industrialized state.

What are the advantages of rich lithium manganese? What level of energy does it reach?

QunAi: Lithium-rich manganese is a solid solution of lithium manganate and intermediate over-oxidation, including excess lithium, so it is called lithium-rich and the cost of lithium-rich manganese can be less than 20% of the ternary material. -40%. At present, the price of ternary Yuan is between 230,000 and 250,000 Yuan, and lithium-rich manganese can basically reach between 180,000 Yuan and 200,000 Yuan. With the price of lithium carbonate returning to normal level, the price of lithium-rich manganese will further decline.

In addition to cost advantages, lithium-rich manganese also has an energy density advantage and a safety advantage. It can be achieved that the content of cobalt and nickel is only about 1/3 of that of ternary, and even cobalt can be used, and the positive electrode capacity can reach 300mA/g. If you can play the full capacity, you can achieve 350wh / kg, so it is the most promising material in the current state.

The energy density of the current lithium-rich manganese can be consistent with the energy density of the ternary 622. With the continuous development, it is expected that the mass production of this year can be 260-280wh/kg, and 300wh/kg or more. The need to involve the use of silicon carbon materials also needs to be further improved. The long life, high safety and low cost of the lithium-rich manganese battery can make the people affordable without subsidies, and it is a new product to solve the pressure of the power battery.

Lithium-rich manganese also has shortcomings, low efficiency, poor conductivity, and difficult matching of high-voltage electrolytes. It has always been a factor hindering the development of lithium-rich manganese. After eight years of research and development, we have finally made breakthroughs in this area and reached the level of industrialization. In the past, lithium iron phosphate, ternary, and lithium manganate were industrialized in a year or so, and lithium-rich manganese was made for eight years. The industrialization of Aoyou Power will enable this industry to pay more attention to lithium-rich manganese batteries. It is believed that in the next two years, lithium-rich manganese technology will greatly improve.

In terms of power battery recycling, how do you do it?

QunAi: Power batteries are the dominant battery recycling, using a paid recycling mechanism to promote recovery power. The standardized design of the module first considers the use of the ladder, and applies it to the low-speed vehicle, the two-wheeled vehicle or the energy storage. Disassembled used batteries are mainly disposed by signing cooperation agreements with qualified recycling institutions. With the development of business, expansion to the lithium battery material recycling sector is not ruled out.

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