Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. has announced that mass production of its EVB-101 battery package will begin in 2010. This compact package – 366 × 213 × 66 mm – or 14.4 x 8.39 x 2.60 inches, wraps a group of 18650-size computer batteries in a water-resistant aluminum housing, complete with a standard communication plug for battery management and monitoring. The 14 in series, six in parallel package stores 10.8 Amp hours of energy and weighs about seven kilograms (15.4 pounds). It has a maximum discharge current of 120 Amps and a continuous output of 35 Amps. The batteries got a good workout in Yokohama Rubber’s E-V Buggy at Pike’s Peak on July 19, posting the second best time by an electric vehicle on the 20-kilometer (12.4 mile), 156-curve, 4,721 foot climb at 14 minutes 50 seconds – only 13 seconds off the all-time EV record. The specifications and demonstrated performance certainly seem to make this battery pack a contender in the …