China-backed BC start-up invests in battery research

Vancouver start-up Newtech Power Inc has awarded $3 million to a Univ of Waterloo researcher to co-develop a next-generation lithium-ion rechargeable battery that could be on the market within three years. Dr Zhongwei Chen, Canada Research Chair in Advanced Materials for Clean Energy, is developing a battery that is environmentally safer, uses silicon to drive down costs and stores more energy than graphite-based lithium-ion batteries. It offers an increase in energy density of 40-60%, allowing an electric car to travel up to 500 km on a single charge. Newtech secured more than $20 million to launch the battery's commercialization in partnership with Chinese automotive supplier Zhongding Group....