Alelion Batteries started up in 2006 with initial plans for battery cell production. But a subsequent market analysis showed that the competition from China was so great that it wouldn't be possible to manufacture battery cells in Sweden with any level of profitability. However, there was a very promising potential market in putting cells together to form battery packs with intelligent control systems, so that's what they decided to do.

The battery cells are purchased from China, and the battery packs are delivered to EV Adapt, which manufactures an electric version of the Fiat 500. However, future plans comprise deliveries to many business areas. We learned that China "owns" battery development, that cell phone batteries (cobalt) and car batteries (iron phosphate) are now going in different developmental directions in an aim to avoid explosions when large numbers of cells are brought together as they are in vehicles, that high temperatures are the greatest threat to battery service life.

For a greater circulation of electric vehicles to be possible, intelligent electrical power supply control systems are required. This is an essential condition to avoid over-burdening the electrical power supply. Electric vehicle batteries can have value for power companies, which can take in the batteries when they have finished their vehicle service life and use them as energy storage receptacles to stabilize power grids. There are lots of exciting things around the corner, but lithium acid batteries will have to wait another 40 years. But when they come, they'll have an energy storage capacity that will give new dimensions to the electric vehicle sector. Until then, there will be a lot of effort to circumvent the lithium iron phosphate patent that is currently setting limits for western battery manufacturers.