K2 Energy Solutions Tapped by U.S. Army to Develop New Rechargeable Lithium Battery for Military Applications

K2 Energy Solutions Tapped by U.S. Army to Develop New Rechargeable Lithium Battery for Military Applications
New, Ultra-Safe Battery Will Reduce Number of Batteries Troops Need in the Field, and Save Weight and Logistics Needed for Transportation

HENDERSON, Nev.-- March 18 2009 - K2 Energy Solutions, a manufacturer of rechargeable battery systems for electric vehicles and energy storage applications, has been awarded a $119,000 contract by the U.S. Army’s Communications-Electronics Research, Development, and Engineering Center (CERDEC) at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.

The contract was awarded under the Army’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and calls for the development of an improved, ultra-safe BB-2590 rechargeable battery, a high-power lithium ion battery for military applications.

As one of the most advanced rechargeable batteries of its kind, the BB-2590 is designed to power a variety of rugged military devices, including portable electronics, military communication systems, robotics, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV). An advanced, more powerful BB-2590 will allow the Army to utilize the battery for more complex applications such as Non-Line-of-Sight missile firing.

“This new contract allows K2 to take the Lithium Ion Phosphate battery technology we’ve already developed for commercial use and modify it in a way that is advantageous for the military,” said Jim Hodge, Chief Technical Officer at K2. “Not only will this new generation of battery provide the Army with a more powerful form of portable energy, but it will be at a much lower cost than hi-grade batteries currently being deployed.”

One of the nation’s leaders of rechargeable battery technology, the Henderson, Nevada-based K2 Energy Solutions has been tapped by the Army to create an updated BB-2590 battery that is three times as powerful, can be used longer, is lighter weight, is capable of a faster recharge, and costs less than the original. Such improvements will drastically reduce the number of batteries troops must carry in the field, and save weight and logistics needed to transport the battery to the field.

ABOUT K2 ENERGY SOLUTIONS:

K2 Energy Solutions, Inc. was founded to commercialize and manufacture rechargeable battery systems for electric vehicles and energy storage applications. The company’s battery systems are based on a lithium iron phosphate cathode material whose inherent safety and low cost makes them ideal for the large format systems required for energy storage and EV applications. K2 differentiates itself as a solutions provider for large format battery packs and systems, developing products based upon customer requirements and utilizing expertise in Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry.

K2 is a private corporation headquartered in Henderson, Nevada, with manufacturing capabilities in both Nevada and China.



Contacts Discovery CommunicationBret Butler, 801-783-7330bretbutler@discovery-communication.com