AeroVironment to get electric power cycling

MONROVIA: AeroVironment, Inc. has announced that automotive lithium-ion battery maker EnerDel, a subsidiary of Ener1, Inc. will be using a portion of its recent federal stimulus grant to purchase eight AV advanced electric vehicle power cycling and test systems.

The addition of AV’s 170 kilowatt ABC-170CE cyclers and its 250 kilowatt AV-900 heavy-duty cyclers will expand the advanced battery testing capabilities at EnerDel’s Indiana facility. Both test systems are programmed to simulate real world driving conditions by repeatedly charging and discharging EnerDel’s hybrid and electric vehicle batteries to replicate actual operating conditions. The ABC-170CE is designed to facilitate high voltage and high current battery and fuel cell charge and discharge testing with a full 170 kilowatt sinking power. The AV-900 is capable of up to 250 kilowatt charge and discharge testing and is used to test larger applications, such as plug-in and full battery electric buses, trucks and military equipment. The addition of the ABC-170CE and AV-900 systems enables complete advanced power cycling of EnerDel’s cutting edge hybrid and electric vehicle batteries.

“The AV units provide additional life-cycling systems for all of our major projects,” EnerDel President Rick Stanley said. “The cyclers enhance our performance testing abilities, allowing us to better meet our customers’ rigorous standards.”

In August EnerDel was awarded a $118.5 million grant to expand its domestic manufacturing capacity under the Advanced Battery Manufacturing Initiative (ABMI), part of the federal stimulus package enacted last February.