New Battery Technology - GreenHybrid

PCK · #1 (**permalink**) 03-01-2006, 07:45 AM

Found this short article in Wired magazine sounds promising.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/1...tart.html?pg=9

subnivean · #2 (**permalink**) 03-01-2006, 08:42 AM

I've been following this technology for a while. Another article somewhere mentioned that it wouldn't be nearly as difficult to 'wire' existing gas stations to 'fill up' vehicles with these batteries as it would be to convert them for a hydrogen infrastructure, so full-electric vehicles might become the next big thing (again)

clett · #3 (**permalink**) 03-01-2006, 10:17 AM

The M1 battery is just incredible. Not only is it almost completely safe (technical info and video here) , it also contains no cobalt so will be a good bit cheaper than other Lithium-ion when it gets up to decent manufacturing volumes.

However this is just their power density battery - trying to pack a big punch from a small size battery for power tools and hybrid batteries. Each kilogram of battery can dish out 4 horsepower, which means an A123 battery capable of dishing out the same 21kW that the Prius pack does would only weigh 7 kg!!

BUT.... this is only the first of a series of batteries to come from A123 using their nanotech material. What I can't wait for is their energy density battery, which they have said will also be revealed in 2006. If it's anything near or above 200 Wh/kg, but with the same safety and cycle life as the M1, then it's game over for the whole fuel cell idea and possibly even gasoline too. Bring it on!!

ralph_dog · #4 (**permalink**) 03-01-2006, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clett

The M1 battery is just incredible. Not only is it almost completely safe (technical info and video here) , it also contains no cobalt so will be a good bit cheaper than other Lithium-ion when it gets up to decent manufacturing volumes.

However this is just their power density battery - trying to pack a big punch from a small size battery for power tools and hybrid batteries. Each kilogram of battery can dish out 4 horsepower, which means an A123 battery capable of dishing out the same 21kW that the Prius pack does would only weigh 7 kg!!

BUT.... this is only the first of a series of batteries to come from A123 using their nanotech material. What I can't wait for is their energy density battery, which they have said will also be revealed in 2006. If it's anything near or above 200 Wh/kg, but with the same safety and cycle life as the M1, then it's game over for the whole fuel cell idea and possibly even gasoline too. Bring it on!!

This seems all well and good, but after the pack is discharged, you have to charge it up using electricity from the grid, which is burning fossil fuels most likely. (Knee-uke-ular would be a bit different). You are only displacing the pollution from what would have been a clean burn ICE to a remotely located dirty power plant.

I think using these high power/energy density batteries in conjunction with a very clean burn bio fuel ICE (hybrid) system would be much better for the environment. I can hear the wife now, "honey I forgot to charge the batteries and I'm stuck in the middle of I95.......