# A123 Recall on Packs!



## Ziggythewiz (May 16, 2010)

Don't worry, it's just for some products from the US facility. Is anyone actually using those?..I mean, besides Fisker?


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## LithiumaniacsEVRacing (Oct 9, 2010)

Ziggythewiz said:


> Don't worry, it's just for some products from the US facility. Is anyone actually using those?..I mean, besides Fisker?


Don't worry??? I own stock in that POS company! It's a 55 million dollar mistake! 

*The company said the cost of replacing the equipment will be about $55 million*

WALTHAM, Mass. (AP) — Shares of A123 Systems tumbled by double digits to an all-time low Monday after the company said it would have to replace battery modules and packs that might be defective.
The battery equipment might contain defective components called prismatic cells, which were made at its factory in Livonia, Mich. There is a chance, because of the problem, that battery equipment could fail early, but does not pose a safety issue, the company said.
A123 Systems expects to start shipping replacement packs and modules to affected customers this week. The company said the cost of replacing the equipment will be about $55 million, and will be paid for over the next several quarters.
The defects were not found in prismatic cells manufactured outside the Livonia factory, the company said.
A123 Systems makes lithium ion batteries for electric cars. The company said it is taking steps to improve its manufacturing process, including the hiring in January of Chief Operating Officer Ed Kopkowski.
Kopkowski was previously vice president of operational excellence at auto supplier Dana Holding Corp. He has more than 25 years of management and operational experience in improving quality and reducing costs, the company said.
Shares of A123 Systems Inc. slid 18 cents to $1.52 in morning trading, giving up all of the gains from earlier this month when the company announced that it would supply Indian automaker Tata Motors with lithium ion battery packs for use in commercial vehicle hybrid electric systems.
Shares at one point fell to $1.48, surpassing a previous low reached in December.


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## Ziggythewiz (May 16, 2010)

LithiumaniacsEVRacing said:


> Shares at one point fell to $1.48, surpassing a previous low reached in December.


Don't worry, I'm sure they can go lower than that...

When you got in, was that before or after they were propped up by govt money? It was certainly before the discovery of all the Korean Made in USA stamps...


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## piotrsko (Dec 9, 2007)

I got some Altairnano shares I could get rid of: they are going to be delisted, again.

A123 could be a nice buy position, though.


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## Brute Force (Aug 28, 2010)

This blows! I was about to throw down some cash for a set of battery modules. Explains the delays in getting the price quote.

Ron, they got you on the hook for the full $55mil?


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## LithiumaniacsEVRacing (Oct 9, 2010)

IMO, A123 has known about this problem for months and has been selling these bad cells removed from the modules to the black market sales in China. You guys that bought all these cheap Alibaba A123 cells might have bought the cells from this recall, which just went public.


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## rwaudio (May 22, 2008)

LithiumaniacsEVRacing said:


> IMO, A123 has known about this problem for months and has been selling these bad cells removed from the modules to the black market sales in China. You guys that bought all these cheap Alibaba A123 cells might have bought the cells from this recall, which just went public.


It might be ok.... the problems showed themselves when the pack was "compressed" I don't think any DIYer's are doing much more than strap/tape the cells to secure them.

Who knows though, A123 has been going down hill for awhile now maybe they were ditching these cells on the black market. A container from the USA to China is typically MUCH cheaper than the other way because they are usually going back empty anyway.


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## noooodle (Jul 17, 2011)

Any cells involved would have had their tabs laser welded. I assume that all cells that were bad that have been removed from a pack will be fairly messed up. They will either have their tabs cut or you'll be able to tell by looking at them that they have been used. The cells coming out of China have pristine long tabs.

...Oh! Anyway the cells A123 uses for their packs have short tabs which have been cut to size. You can see this if you go on Youtube and watch the animation showing how the pack is made.


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## noooodle (Jul 17, 2011)

My post above may be wrong. I watched EVTV today. Jack Rickard seemed convinced it was a cell manufacturing problem and not one created making the battery packs. So My post above is probably a load of rubbish.


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## Ziggythewiz (May 16, 2010)

All the news posts said it was cells, not packs. The funnier part is when they talk about which cells are affected, they say just the ones from the US plant...not, other locations (which they do not admit to having).

Since only american cells are affected, they are probably missing a key ingredient at that plant, maybe blood, sweat, or little children...who knows?


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