Caterpillar Inc has announced the company is investing in Lithos Energy Inc, a US-based battery technology company that produces lithium-ion battery packs.
“Caterpillar’s collaboration with Lithos supports our commitment to delivering robust electrified products and solutions for our customers,” said Joe Creed, Group President of Caterpillar’s Energy & Transportation segment. “Cat® equipment – regardless of its power source – is designed to operate in the most demanding conditions. Lithos’ experience manufacturing battery packs for similarly demanding environments will be an asset as we continue our electrified product development.”
Headquartered in San Rafael, California, Lithos specialises in designing, engineering and manufacturing shock resistant and high performance battery solutions for applications including off-road and marine.
It states: “Lithos High Voltage battery packs are designed for vehicle, marine and off-road applications. These packs can be configured for either high energy or high power applications and use the revolutionary Lithos Gen4 module technology. With an successful Passively Propagation Resistant (PPR) design, advanced high voltage battery management system and an IP67 rugged aluminum enclosure, these high voltage battery packs are designed for the most demanding and safety-critical applications.”
“We are extremely excited to be working with Caterpillar, especially at a time when the leading construction machinery and equipment manufacturer is entering a new age of efficiency and reduced emission operation,” commented James Meredith, CEO of Lithos Energy. “Caterpillar’s forward thinking, commitment to electrification and leadership position on the global stage for equipment manufacturers make this an ideal match. This funding will enable Lithos to accelerate technology development and scale up manufacturing capacity as we look forward to providing increasingly advanced product offerings to our new and existing customers.”
Caterpillar says its investment in Lithos further demonstrates a commitment to support customers in the energy transition with lower-carbon advanced power technologies for its hybrid and full-electric machines and power generation products. The company recently displayed four electric construction machine prototypes, including battery prototypes, at bauma 2022 in Munich, Germany and successfully demonstrated its first battery electric 793 large mining truck at its Tucson Proving Ground in Arizona.
