LG Chem to Supply Battery for Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Minivan

LG Chem says it will supply the 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack system for the plug-in hybrid version of the all-new Chrysler Pacifica minivan due late this year.

The company offers no specifics but says its new batteries have a higher energy density and are more durable than its previous-generation design. In addition to the lithium-ion cells, the integrated pack includes control software and various electronic components.

LG Chem engineered the new battery system in Troy, Mich., and will produce the pack at its Holland, Mich., facility. This is the first time the company has engineered and will manufacture a complete battery pack in Michigan for a mass-production hybrid vehicle.

The Pacifica Hybrid, the industry’s first electrified minivan, teams a 3.6-liter V-6 engine and a pair of electronic motors with the battery pack. The vehicle has an estimated fuel efficiency equivalent of 80 mpg, including a 30-mile electric range.

Packaged under the second row seats, the battery pack can be fully recharged in two hours using a 240-volt system. It takes 12-14 hours to recharge the battery via a standard 110-volt charger.

LG Chem also produces batteries for several General Motors Co. vehicles at the 850,000-sq-ft Holland plant.