Future of Electric Car Just Got Brighter With Development of Powerful Battery

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Previous attempts at bringing electric or hybrid vehicles to the consumer market failed because the batteries were cumbersomely inadequate. Large nickel metal hydride batteries were used which severely impacted on practical usability. These batteries required frequent re-charging and their power output declined with age. They also were only capable of running small two-passenger vehicles.

A123Systems is producing a new type of rechargeable lithium battery that safely packs more reliable and efficient high power than any other previous battery the same size.

Rechargeable lithium batteries are not new. They have been used in laptops and mobile phones since the 1990s. But the batteries were thought unstable in transport because of their use of a highly reactive compound which could cause them to explode or ignite if overheated, jarred or punctured. They also lacked sufficient power.

The lithium battery from A123Systems is said to use a highly stable cathode material which improves both its safety and extends the life of the battery. Yet-Ming Chiang, a co-founder of A123Systems and M.I.T. prof, claims that: “Used in a hybrid vehicle, our batteries deliver faster acceleration than any other batteries of the same size.”

G.M. is one automaker buying into the technology. The company is planning on using the batteries from A123Systems in its two plugin hybrid cars, the Chevrolet Volt and a version of the Saturn Vue. Though both models will be built with internal combustion engines, the battery packs will provide most of the power to run them. The first versions off the line are projected to run at least 40 miles without using the gas engines. Their battery packs can also be recharged from household sockets.

The Volt is actually intended to be a true electric car. Its internal combustion engine will only be used to recharge the car's batteries but will exist as a backup in the event of battery failure.

G.M. targets 2009 as the year of release for the hybrid Saturn Vue whereas the Volt only exists as a concept car right now. The company says its plugin hybrids will cost a few thousand dollars more than non-electric vehicles because of the battery packs.

They also point out an average driver can expect to save $450 a year in gasoline costs if gas costs $2 per gallon.

There have been previous postings here on DJ about new types of batteries and electric cars by cgull (EEStor Ultra Capacitor Batteries) and Patrix (Phoenix Motors). The one from A123Systems differs from previous postings.

Personally, I favor the compressed air technology cars developed over in Europe. I posted last month about this technology. These cars will be much more affordable than the electric and or hybrid cars currently in development. Also, last I heard, the compressed air cars are due out this year.