China (mainland) ¨C Cost issues aside, an increasing number of manufacturers in mainland China are integrating high-quality charging chipsets into their lithium battery chargers. Charging chipsets not only enhance the charger¡¯s electrical performance, but also allow for reduced number of peripheral components¡ªwhich ultimately makes it cost-efficient.
Lithium battery chargers with safe-to-use, high-performance charging chipsets fare better in the market, according to interviewed companies, and in the face of intensifying competition, these easy-to-produce components are their best bets.
As mainland China produces the largest chunk of the world¡¯s lithium battery charger output, companies in the region are resolved to maintain their positioning as volume suppliers of low-priced products for both domestic and international markets. In 2007, production of lithium battery chargers in Greater China reached 500 million units, while exports totaled more than 400 million units.
Major vendors Advanced Charger Technology (ACT), Power Integration and STMicroelectronics stand to benefit from the widespread adoption of charging chipsets. ACT produces models AC 30 and ACT 35 rank high among battery charger makers¡¯ top choices due to their cost-performance ratio. Also popular are Power Integration¡¯s LNK chipset and STMicroelectronics¡¯ VIPER12 series, which are used in high-grade battery chargers.
Aside from using high-performance charging chipsets, suppliers are also making their battery chargers safer to use and more energy-efficient and environment-friendly. Makers on the mainland are also producing more general-purpose models.
Junrong Lin, R&D manager for mainland-based Fuhua Electronic Co. Ltd, said that the lithium battery charger segment is facing strict safety requirements such as abiding by the national 3C/GB4943 requirement and acquiring 3C and TLC approvals. Battery charger models must also comply with exportation requirements such as IEC60950 and RoHS, and power consumption standards such as YD/T1591, CEC and Energy Star regulations. Fuhua¡¯s chargers have achieved lower standby power at a maximum of 0.3W and high average efficiency at 50 percent, Lin said.
To date, there are more than 500 lithium battery charger manufacturers in mainland China, mostly small to medium enterprises based Guangdong. The majority of these companies focus on producing 5V mobile phone chargers with 100V to 240V AC input voltages, 100mA to 200mA input current, and 500mA to 800mA or higher output current, according to Lin.
Charger makers are banking on the enhanced quality and performance afforded by the use of high-performance chipsets to improve their market performance in the short term, along with rising demand for portable GPS products, mobile phones, digital cameras and related products in which these chargers are applied.
