--- In gridable-hybrids@yahoogroups.com, doug korthof
<live_oil_free@y...> wrote:

> Didn't you know that gm SOLD the worldwide patent rights to the
NiMH battery to CHEVRON, and Chevron's unit, COBASYS, sued Toyota to
stop or slow down any use of bigger batteries? >

Some misperceptions need to be straightened out here. GM never owned
the worldwide rights to NiMH. Energy Conversion Devices' (ECD)
subsidiary, Ovonic Battery, which does own the major NiMH patents,
did a JV with GM, called GM Ovonic, in the 90s to develop prismatic
batteries for the North American ONLY transportation market. GM's
share was bought by Texaco in Oct. 2000, and Texaco later merged with
Chevron. Recognizing Chevron/Texaco/Ovonic Battery Company as a not
very good name, it was then renamed Cobasys, still owned 50% by ECD.

In Oct. '98, Sanyo was licensed by Ovonic Battery to manufacture the
following: (1) NiMH batteries for two- and three-wheel vehicles in
Japan and China for worldwide sale, (2) other-use large NiMH
batteries in Japan, and (3) NiMH batteries for four or more wheel OEM
vehicles manufactured in Japan for domestic and export sale. They
furnish the NiMH for the Ford hybrids, among others, and pay are
paying royalties to ECD.

When Toyota started using Panasonic batteries in the Prius, ECD sued
parent Matsushita, because they had no license for transportation
use. Here is the PR......

"Troy, Mich., March 6, 2001 — Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. ("ECD")
(NASDAQ: ENER) announced today that its subsidiary, Ovonic Battery
Company, Inc. ("Ovonic Battery"), has filed suit in federal court in
Detroit, Michigan against Matsushita Battery Industrial Co., Ltd.
("MBI"), Toyota Motor Corporation, Panasonic EV Energy Co., Ltd. and
several related entities for infringement of patents held by Ovonic
Battery.

MBI and Panasonic EV Energy Co. supply Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH)
batteries used in the Toyota Prius gasoline-electric hybrid car sold
in the United States by Toyota Motor Corporation. The lawsuit charges
that MBI's hybrid electric vehicle batteries, battery components and
battery systems infringe patents held by Ovonic Battery.

In addition to filing suit, Ovonic Battery today terminated a 1992
agreement which licensed MBI under patents held by ECD and Ovonic
Battery for the manufacture and sale of small consumer batteries. MBI
had breached that agreement by failing to pay millions of dollars in
royalties to Ovonic Battery. In its lawsuit, Ovonic Battery seeks
damages for those unpaid royalties, and also seeks to enjoin the
importation of all Panasonic electronic products that contain
batteries using Ovonic Battery's patented technology. MBI and its
related companies annually sell hundreds of millions of batteries and
electronic products principally under the Panasonic name which use
Ovonic Battery's patented technology."

So, now to bring it up to date, ECD settled with Matsushita, which is
now allowed to furnish batteries to Toyota including import to N.A.,
and further agreed to share new improved tech on NiMH.

So, to sum it up. ECD, through subsidiary Ovonic Battery, owms the
important NiMH patents, licenses the tech to different companies, for
different uses, in the major countries, and very much wants it's
large batteries to be used in hybrid cars, with appropriate royalties
paid.


> gm and Chevron are not selling any of their batteries, either, at
least not to individuals. I tried to buy some, actually calling
COBASYS and asking to send a P.O., and they denied it -- the
batteries are NOT FOR SALE to Electric cars! >

Cobasys has indicated that it is very close to signing deals to
furnish NiMH for N. American built hybrid cars, and if so, will
probably have their hands full getting ready to furnish enough
batteries for that. They are preparing to be a major manufaturer, not
in the business of selling the batteries for small projects. For the
NiMH battery costs to drop to the pactical levels to make hybids a
sustainable success, large volumes are needed.

I hope that I cleared up some of the confusion. Here is where you can
read press releases about not only issues related to Energy
Conversion Devices NiMH history, but it's solar, hydrogen and fuel
cell divisions as well.
http://www.ovonic.com/news_events/5_2_press_releases/press_releases_20
01.htm

Del