Danville-designed battery passes go-kart test

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Dan River Grand Prix employee Paige Strader runs a go kart around the track on Feb. 9, to test a lithium iron phosphate battery pack with LiFeBatt for future use in electric vehicles. The battery was put through three tests on the track with the go kart's max speed reaching 30 mphs during the last test. Credit: Steven Mantilla
Phillip Wright and chief engineer Don Gerhardt check the battery voltage in between a test run at Dan River Grand Prix while lead technician Carlos Walker records data on Feb. 9. Credit: Steven Mantilla
Dan River Grand Prix employee Paige Strader runs a go-kart around the track on Feb. 9, to test a lithium iron phosphate battery pack with LiFeBatt for future use in electric vehicles. The battery was put through three tests on the track with the go kart's max speed reaching 30 mphs during the last test. Credit: Steven Mantilla
Dan River Grand Prix owner Ken Grammer and LiFeBatt lead technician finish last-minute modifications to a go-kart to conduct their tests on lithium iron phosphate battery packs, which is being researched to use in electric vehicles at Dan River Grand Prix on Feb.9 in Danville. Credit: Steven Mantilla

By: GoDanRiver Staff | WSLS
Published: February 09, 2012

On Thursday, LiFeBatt USA in Danville tested a prototype battery pack on an electric go-kart inside Dan River Grand Prix on Riverside Drive.

LiFeBatt CEO Don Harmon and Chief Operating Officer Michelle Robinson seized the chance to test the 64-cell, 48-volt lithium iron phosphate battery pack on an actual vehicle rather than just in the laboratory.

“It’s more exciting because the go kart goes around curves,” Robinson said.

The battery pack will head to Volvo in Sweden for evaluation, she added. LiFeBatt got its foot in the door with Volvo through the company’s new European distributor, Toyota Tsusho Europe.

In December, LiFeBatt signed a sales and distribution agreement with Toyota Tsusho Europe, which is part of Toyota Tsusho Corp., the only trading company of Toyota Motor Group.

For the Volvo prototype, EIT South in Danville made the battery case and mounted the LiFeBatt circuit board inside, Harmon said. The company anticipates using Dan River Grand Prix for future testing.

Danville-designed battery passes go-kart test

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