Exxon Mobil Working on a Better Battery

[RAN]

A Better Lithium-Ion Battery?

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/11/29/whos-behind-a-better-lithium-ion-hybrid-ev-battery-why-its-e/#comments

Look at comment #3......

[WattGas?]

Very interesting! These also caught my eye:

#1

... They still want to be in business in the post-oil era #5

Peak oil is coming sooner than we have been lead to believe and Big Oil is getting ready for it.The future is Electric, whether they want it or not... I just hope it gets rolling in time...

[Mark Tomlinson]

A Better Lithium-Ion Battery?

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/11/29/whos-behind-a-better-lithium-ion-hybrid-ev-battery-why-its-e/#comments

Look at comment #3......

Our very own Ian Bruce!

Here's more detail (http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7108470). Even if all US cars stopped using gasoline all together, Exxon would survive as a chemical company - but they'd be severely impacted. I see this as a way for them to offset their losses as gasoline usage decreases over the next few decades.

Since petroleum usage will decrease, Big Oil companies are having to decide if they are chemical companies or energy companies. It looks like Exxon is exploring a way to be both.

[RAN]

Congrats Mark! You're the only one who read all 3 lines of my post ;)

If Exxon wants to make a better battery and sell it to EV manufacturers everywhere, then I'm all for it. If they're making it just to get the patent and then lock it away, they should be shot.

[rogwild]

Anyone else notice that BP 'switched' from 'British Petroleum' to 'Beyond Petroleum'?
Looking for 'life after gas'.

[Mark Tomlinson]

Anyone else notice that BP 'switched' from 'British Petroleum' to 'Beyond Petroleum'?
Looking for 'life after gas'.

Yes. BP has decided they are an energy company.

Ran, if you keep reading you will see that (at least my understanding) Exxon is manufacturing the film for Li-ion batteries, not the batteries. One of their divisions created a better separator film for batteries, but I did not read anything about developing better batteries - despite the Autobloggreen title. It seems they want to be a supplier, which makes me think their direction is to continue as a chemical and refinery company.

In my layman's opinion, the demand for diesel will increase in the next decade. I'm guessing Exxon is looking at that and alternative fuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, and hydrogen as well as composite materials and plastics to easily offset any decrease in gasoline sales. 'Better batteries for electric cars' is probably just a happy development that they can use as PR material.