RE:Starter Batteries using lithium/ graphite I lost tract of A123 Systems after assuming they were finished. Then further reading of the original link i posted I found this https://www.hybridcars.com/a123-shifts-away-from-ev-battery-packs-in-us/
After they went belly up, the Chinese Firm Wanxiang Group took them over and has been employing A123 System's technology.
In the subject link, Forcier said A123 System's 2 Detroit factories are operating at maximum capacity to provide starter batteries for Mercedes-Benz and according to the article below, they will only be making Lithium ion Starter Batteries in the US.
I can't agree with this part of the link "We won’t spend too much effort on the EV markets in Europe or the U.S., because we don’t see them as viable markets in the next 10 years,” Forcier said.
Later the article said: “Even with this focus on starter batteries for the U.S., Forcier isn’t ruling out the possibility of adding larger battery packs back into production.”
Bottom line: they are producing Lithium ion EV batteries for Chinese consumption and Starter Lithium Starter Batteries for US and European consumption.
Also I understood that A123 System had some interesting patents concerning VRB's