1. Lead Acid Batteries

2. Acquired in November 2000 by JCI Plant located in Aurora, Co Optima Batteries utilizes six sigma methodology TS 16949 Certification Worldwide distribution Optima Batteries

3. Lead Acid Battery Basics

4. A battery is a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. A cell is the basic electrochemical unit. A battery consists of one or more cells connected in series, or in parallel, or both. Batteries, in general, are classified as primary, i.e., non-rechargeable, or secondary, i.e., rechargeable. Zinc-manganese dioxide, LeClanche’ or alkaline, cells are primary batteries. Lead- acid batteries are secondary batteries. Advanced secondary batteries include nickel metal hydride and lithium ion. Types of lead-acid batteries include round or cylindrical and prismatic or rectangular cells. Lead acid batteries can be classified further as wet, i.e., flooded, or VRLA (valve regulated lead acid) which includes gel and AGM (absorbed glass mat). Battery Basics-Definitions

5. At the positive plate: PbO 2 + 4H + + SO 4 2- + 2e - PbSO 4 + 2H 2 O At the negative plate: Pb + SO 4 2- PbSO 4 + 2e - Total Cell Reaction: PbO 2 + Pb +2H 2 SO 4 2PbSO 4 +2H 2 O Note: Active materials include lead dioxide, lead and sulfuric acid. Note: Battery OCV depends only acid specific gravity and the cell voltage can be approximated by V = 0.84 + acid specific gravity. Battery Basics-Cell Chemistry D C D C D C

6. Additional Reactions of Significance Oxygen Reaction Cycle:: ½O 2 + Pb PbO PbO + H 2 SO 4 PbSO 4 + H 2 O Note: Oxygen reaction cycle is a benchmark characteristic of VRLA batteries. It is more pronounced with AGM than with gel constructions. Severe Overcharge Reaction: 2H 2 O O 2 + 4H + + 4e - Note: This results in water loss due to venting of O 2 and can be life limiting. Positive Grid Corrosion: Pb + 2H 2 O PbO 2 + 4H + + 2e - Note: This results in water loss and can be life limiting. C C C C Battery Basics-Cell Chemistry

7. Battery Basics-Cell Schematic Load Anode Cathode Electron Flow Oxidation Reduction Pos Ions Neg Ions ─+ e-e- e-e- Electron Loss Electron Gain Discharge Power Anode Cathode Electron Flow Oxidation Reduction Pos Ions Neg Ions ─+ e-e- e-e- Electron Loss Electron Gain Charge

8. Wet/Gel/AGM Battery Basics-Manufacturing

9. Manufacturing-Wet/Gel Yes No

10. Manufacturing-AGM Flat Plate

11. Manufacturing-AGM Spiral Wound

12. Grid Production Processes Gel Wet & Flat Plate AGM Spiral AGM

13. Grid –Primary function is structural to support the active material and carry the current –Secondary function is electrochemical in nature as the grids participate in redox reactions at the positive and negative active material interface, i.e., corrosion –Desired features Low resistivity Strength Corrosion resistance for positives High purity Grid

14. Grid Alloys –Lead/Lead Tin Soft, generally too weak to use in flat plate designs Low gassing Low self discharge Continuous grid making processes for spiral wound design –Lead Calcium Silver Low gassing Low self discharge Slower processing compared to lead antimony –Lead Antimony High gassing High self discharge Easily cast and fabricated Good cycle life Grid Alloy

15. Paste –High Paste Density Stronger material with less shedding in wet or gel designs –Shedding is not an issue with AGM designs because of the compression of the separator against the plates and the tight interference fit with the cell container Better contact with the grid interface Reduced initial capacity which cycles up to give longer service life in cycling applications Lower efficiency at high discharge rates –Low Paste Density Initial capacity is high Higher efficiency at high discharge rates Poorer service life in cycling applications Paste

16. Separator Distinctions GelAGM Wet

17. Separator –Wet Microporous polyethylene envelopes –Extrusion formed –Backweb thickness –Oil content –Silica content –Gel Microporous polyethylene sheets Polyvinyl chloride sheets –AGM Glass microfiber sheets –Compression is an important design feature –Glass-polyolefin composites under development –Made on conventional paper making equipment Separator Sources

18. Separators OptimaWet From BCI Website

19. IT’S THE SEPARATOR AGM = Absorptive Glass Mat Flooded is “Vented” Gas exchange with surroundings AGM is “Sealed” Valve regulates pressure and vacuum Wet or flooded vs AGM

20. Wet/Gel Battery Construction From BCI Website

21. Optima AGM Battery Construction Optima has lower internal resistance compared to flat plate batteries Optima has less internal parts (~30) vs traditional batteries (120+) Optima has over the partition, solid lead connectors vs through the partition inter-cell welds

22. Factors affecting internal resistance of the battery –Size of lead conductors –Plate surface area –Plate spacing –Separator resistivity –Electrolyte type Gel has higher resistance than flooded or AGM designs which negatively impacts high rate and cold performance –Electrolyte concentration –Temperature Element Characteristics

23. Container/Cover Design Cylindrical cells provide superior mechanical structure to battery –Eliminates cell bulge –Permits higher valve pressures, 7-8 psi, compared to flat plate, 1-5 psi Flat plate batteries can experience end wall bulge when pressure builds up on charge resulting in loss of performance

24. OPTIMA Performance

25. What is Optima? Advanced lead acid battery technology Spiral wound cells Sealed AGM design Current OE applications –Daimler Chrysler Minivan Diesel (Graz, Austria) PT Cruiser Diesel (Toluca, Mexico) Jeep Liberty Diesel (Toledo, USA) –FORD GT –GM Silverado Military Truck

26. Orientation Flexibility Non-Spill Can be installed in almost any orientation/position Air shippable like gel and flat plate AGM

27. The Optima Advantage Vibration Resistance The Optima Group 31 runs in excess of 9,000 hours at 5G’s Why? High degree of separator compression, and tight interference fit between the element and cell wall Less parts, two plates per cell vs. multiple plates in flat plate designs No intercell welds to fail Source: AGM Development Team Vibration Performance

28. Gassing Characteristics Gassing –Less than flat plate/prismatic design Why? –Higher purity materials – 99.99% pure lead –Alloys – Optima uses a binary tin lead alloy compared to a flooded battery that uses a multi component alloy (silver, tin, calcium, aluminum, etc… less impurities) –Oxygen reaction cycle Source: AGM Development Team

29. OCV STAND LOSS OCV Stand Loss

30. High Rate Cold Performance More Power − Optima has more high rate power (CCA) than comparably sized flat plate batteries Why? − Higher specific acid gravity than flooded − Lower internal resistance than flooded due to thinner positive plates than flooded and no inter-cell welds

31. -20Degrees F/300 A Discharge High power, more run time gives Optima more available energy High Rate Cold Performance

34. Performance on Charge

35. 155 Min RC/75 A-hr C/20 Optima Group 31 185 Min RC/98 A-hr C/20 Flooded Group 31 Repetitive Reserve Capacity Cycle Life Repetitive RC Cycling @ 80 F

36. AGM has longer life in warm temperatures Battery life increases with cooler temperatures Typical flooded expected life Decreasing Temperature Field Returns