Fighting for 'made in the USA'

[one...two...tree 2,762]

A battery maker's story shows the hopes and hurdles of green technology.

By Don Lee, Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Boston Yet-Ming Chiang relishes his 20-mile drive to work. His hybrid car gets more than 100 miles per gallon, recharges by plugging into a regular wall outlet and purrs so quietly that it's his favorite place for making important phone calls.

But what makes Chiang's ordinary-looking beige Toyota Prius even more special is that it's powered by a breakthrough battery that he invented and is working to turn into the kind of high-tech, green, "Made in America" product that many see as the key to the nation's economic future.

Safer and longer-lasting than conventional lithium-ion car batteries, the 52-year old MIT professor's invention packs 600 cells into a case the size of an airplane carry-on bag. His technology has transformed the batteries used in many cordless power tools.

So why are Chiang and his company, A123 Systems, having trouble moving to full-scale commercial production and creating thousands of new American jobs with his better mousetrap?

The answer is a story of the obstacles to a rebirth of U.S. manufacturing, and of the tantalizing possibilities if such a rebirth could be achieved. For Chiang's company has one foot in China and the other in the U.S., reflecting the forces that drive manufacturers overseas and the potential for a renaissance at home.

The obstacles here are rooted in the sad history of manufacturing's decline in the United States: Despite the promise of Chiang's batteries, many on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley were incredulous when he and other leaders at A123 asked for capital to build factories in America — Asia, yes, but Michigan, why would you want to?

Even more daunting, nearly all of the world's battery manufacturing industry is in Asia, where plants can be built faster and supplies and equipment are much easier to get than in the United States. These days, it's hard to find Americans who even know how to build a battery factory.

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Edited May 11, 2010 by El Buscador

[Darnell 8,478]

That was 'first blush'. If he keeps looking, he'll find all he needs, in U.S.A.

[Heracles 417]

These days, it's hard to find Americans who even know how to build a battery factory.

Yet ask people about about an athlete's #### size or an entertainer's favorite food and they will know it.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Yet ask people about about an athlete's #### size or an entertainer's favorite food and they will know it.

Have you ever seen, 'Idiocracy?'

[Heracles 417]

Have you ever seen, 'Idiocracy?'

###### yeah. That film seriously depressed me as I can honestly see the Western world heading that way. Instead of a Star Trek future, I can see us being as dumb as dog ######.

Also true is that the stupid are breeding a hell of a lot more than the intelligent.

[Craneman 2]

The EPA and other government agencies are the reason for the long delays, and making it easier and quicker to build a plant in say, China.

The U.S, requires multitudes of enviromental safe guards, air filters and water containments.

I China they just dump it on the ground and hit it with a water hose.

[justashooter 430]

The EPA and other government agencies are the reason for the long delays, and making it easier and quicker to build a plant in say, China.

The U.S, requires multitudes of enviromental safe guards, air filters and water containments.

I China they just dump it on the ground and hit it with a water hose.

toyota has all of it's prius batteries made in northern china, because it's cheaper to do it there without any environmental safeguards. the heavy metal toxicity is so bad in the groundwater around the cities the batteries are made in that chinese drinking it have life expectancies 15 years lower than national average, and children with tails and reptile brains.

if batteries made in china were made to western manufacturing standards a prius would cost $3000 more, and replacement batteries would be 3X as costly as they are. all for what? so we can make pollution burining coal in the ohio river valley to provide electricity to cars in new york? coal is dirtier than gasoline. the entire concept is a joke.