Did your car battery freeze this winter? Did you have pay to get a boost because of the cold? There’s a solution that you may not have heard about. Mohawks Juanita Cree, Deborah Etienne and Robert Giroux from Kanehsatake have entered into a business that may help you out.
It’s a co-venture with Thermo-Tech, which produces ThermOil, a battery that is oil-based. Today’s vehicles usually sport the acid-based batteries. Why is this important?
Bill Smith, a Thermo-Tech technician, claims that oil-based batteries not only increase the working life of a battery by 40 per cent but also actually recharge themselves up to 80 per cent of their original charge in only 30 minutes.
Smith said the need for a boost during the winter would be minimized. You could wait the 30 minutes and go out and crank the engine yourself. This battery won’t freeze until it’s -70 degrees Celsius outside. Exploding batteries aren’t likely with this new battery, Smith added. The toxic odors from regular batteries that make some people sick aren’t around, either.
Lab tests from Battery Council International in Chicago say that the oil-based batteries tested outperform the typical acid-based batteries in most areas and figure comparatively in all others. The BCI tests do say that a distinct advantage for the oil-based battery is in environment impact, the recharging and as well as storing electricity.
The Mohawks are clearly happy to work out a deal with Thermo-Tech. “Thermo-Tech has been very good and our immediate goal is to lock-down the Quebec market,” said Juanita Cree.
Fred McMannis, president of Thermo-Tech, was aboveboard. “If a Native company was interested in a co-venture, we were open to it. We had an interest in working with Natives if it’s fruitful for us,” said McMannis. After deliberation a deal was struck.
Mohawk management consultant Malcolm O’Brien said there was an interesting factor of the co-venture deal. Kahnastake or Kanehsatake may become future battery production sites. This would help the local economy, says O’Brien. No major equipment is needed to produce or convert batteries, which is an advantage, he said.
McMannis confirmed the deal saying that Cree and partners are distributors with an option to become manufacturers. “This would be done on a basis where they would buy our patented oil mixture. This way it’s of benefit to them and us. That’s the path we seem to be on. Right now the ball is in their court,” McMannis added.
Definitely recommended as a northern need. Call 450-477-5298 to get more information.
