Lifting the Curtain (Barely) on Mobius Power.

OK, so perhaps I'm getting a little obsessive about Mobius Power (don't both following this link to their site: there's nothing there...) But I can't help it. The secretive battery maker is tighter with information than VP Dick Cheney after he's forgotten to take his anti-psychotics.

A couple of tantalizing tidbits have appeared recently, though. To whit:

1. Job Postings on FlipDog. In job listings for Chemical and Process Engineering Techs, the company description specifically mentions Lithium Ion as the root technology. Also, lots of mention of experimentation in the position descriptions, so I guess we can infer that the company is a ways off from commercializing their technology.

2. New Office Space. According to the Contra Costa Times, Mobius is relocating from Sunnyvale to a 12,000 sq. ft. R&D building in Fremont. The broker who arranged the deal is quoted as saying that there are 10 people with the company, but that there are plans to staff up about 30 in short order.

That's it. I know it's not much. But short of sleeping on their stoop... hey now, there's an idea...

More batteries: Mysterious Mobius and Fascinating Firefly

No matter what fuel or technology you're interested in or advocating for, there's one thing they all have in common: a need for advanced batteries. Extending the range of a vehicle to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions demands an advanced battery system. Doesn't matter if it's fueled by ethanol, hydrogen, electricity, or cow manure.

As a result, some of the most interesting advances are coming from battery start ups. (Consequently, a ton of money is pouring in here as well.) Here's a couple more to keep an eye on.

Mobius Power
I just read on Venture Beat that a battery maker named Mobius Power just raised $4.5 million in venture funding. No description of the technology appeared. Oddly, the announcement included the following statement from Wade Woodson of Sigma Partners, one of the investors: the company is “too unformed to be interesting.”

Which can mean only one thing, perhaps: that the company is very interesting, and there's some objective to downplaying it at this time.

The company website is a placeholder. Not much else to speak of on the web. Very stealthy.

Firefly Energy
A spin off from heavy equipment maker Caterpillar, Firefly Energy is breathing new life into an old battery technology: lead acid. The company uses a patented process that replaces the traditional lead plates of a lead acid battery with a carbon or graphite foam. With a greater surface area, the foam increases energy interaction leading to greater capacity and reduced charge time.

By combining new tech with old tech, Firefly is theoretically able to produce a well performing product at an aggressive price point: about $100 - $150 per kilowatt hour (at least according to company spokespeople...) Compare that to ~ $800 per kilowatt hour for NiMH, and ~$1,000 for Lithium Ion. Now these cost estimates swing widely based on purchase volume and quality of product, but you start to get the idea.

Don Hillebrand leads research regarding hybrids and PHEVs for the Argonne National Laboratory, and he seems ready for coronate the Firefly product, calling it "potentially game-changing technology."

Others apparently think so, too. Electrolux is both an investor and customer (for brands including Husqvarna, Poulan, and Weed Eater). British Aerospace company BAE is also an investor.