US lithium-ion battery manufacturer EnerDel is to regroup its business strategies and sell battery packs for niche markets, starting with transit buses.
The Indiana-based company will initially start selling replacement battery packs to hybrid transit bus company Allison Transmission.
“It’s essential for us to penetrate the [bus] market very quickly,” said EnerDel CEO Michael Canada.
Other plans to move into niche markets include a mobile power station for the military and adapting military units for stationary use by hospitals and other institutions.
The company failed to meet former pledges of local investment and aims to re-establish itself by regrouping into energy storage niche markets. Revenue is expected to be $10m this year, at least $45m next year and $55m in 2016. Canada said that EnerDel will begin hiring more workers in early 2015.
EnerDel filed for bankruptcy in 2011 and the company’s 2010 economic development deal with the state for $21.1m in tax credits has been cut short.
In April this year, former CEO David Roberts resigned and was replaced on an interim basis by Michael Canada, a former Altairnano vice president and general manager.
EnerDel is a subsidiary of Ener1, an energy storage developer for the transportation, utility grid and industrial electronics markets.
