Advanced Lithium Batteries for Automobile Applications at ABAA-9

Advanced Lithium Batteries for Automobile Applications at ABAA-9T he battery-electrified vehicle industry is booming since the past decade, driven by consumers' growing demand for "green" cars with zero emission of greenhouse gases and speedy-but-silent driving experience.Aiming for advanced battery technology to support electric vehicles, the International Conference on Advanced Lithium Batteries for Automobile Applications (ABAA) was launched in 2008.It was conceived with the mission of promoting global R&D of automobile lithium batteries through international communication and collaboration engaging automobile manufacturers, battery manufacturers, research institutes, and universities.The ninth International Conference on Advanced Lithium Batteries for Automobile Applications (ABAA-9), held at Sheraton Huzhou Hop Spring Resort on October 17-20, 2016 was coorganized by the International Automotive Lithium Battery Association (IALB) and Huzhou Economic & Technological Development Zone Administrative Committee (see Figure 1).Huzhou, located right at the heart of the Yangtze River Delta Economic Area, is a picturesque city of south China with a history that can be traced back before the Qin Dynasty (about 248 B.C.).With such a long history of harmony between humans developing and the environment, this city is devoted to sustainable development and provides full support to environmentally benign industries, especially battery-electrified vehicles.In the 3.5 day conference, over 50 government officers, world-class leading scientists, and industry leaders from around the world were invited to give talks on the latest research and development in advanced lithium batteries focused on automotive applications, which are critical to achieve fuelefficient automobiles such as hybrid electrical vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and pure electric vehicles (EVs).Government officers from the United States, China, and Japan introduced the progress and funding plans of EV battery R&D in the three countries.Dr. Dave Howell, the Acting Director of the Vehicle Technologies Office in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), presented rapid growth in annual U.S. plug-in electric vehicle sales