A advancement towardhybridandelectric carsseems like a natural step in the phylogeny of car technology . Analysts are n’t predicting a drop in oil andgasoline pricesanytime soon , effectively shifting automobile manufacturers into high gear to find the next best elbow room to power vehicles . If the recentconcept carsrevealed by major automakers are accurate soothsayer , atomic number 3 - ion batteries(Li - ion)may be that magic bullet .
Take , for representative , theChevrolet Volt . This is General Motors’plug - in hybridconcept car designed to run for 40 - mi ( 64.3 - kilometer ) stretches exclusively off of Li - ion batteries . After that , a small gasenginewill take over for another 600 naut mi ( 965 kilometers ) . That means many citizenry could complete their daily commute without burning a drop of gas . In addition , the society plans to initiate crank them out en masse by 2010 .
And Chevrolet is n’t alone in the Li - ion tendency . Jeep , Cadillac , Dodge , Land Rover , Chrysler and Saturn all previewed 2008 concept cars that sport Li - ion battery packs for greener drive [ origin : Mahoney ] .
Why this bootlick over Li - ion batteries in the first place ? The Toyota Prius and two fresh cross the company unveil in June 2008 use a nickel - metal - hydridebattery . consort to the most recent EPA criterion , the Prius beat a combined 46 international mile per congius – not to remark that it has sold like pancake . [ source : fueleconomy.gov ] .
But in energy term , Li - ion batteries plainly take a more muscular punch . Li - ion batteries store more vigor in diminished outer space than the more traditional lead - window pane and nickel - metal - hydride ones . Li has the most energy density and electrochemical potential of all metals , which is what gives it that stamina [ source : Buchmann ] . The nickel - metallic element - hydride batteries in hybrids on the route are also overweight , limiting their electric potential , whereas Li - ion batteries can amp the f number without weighing the gondola down . Because of this property , you’re able to find pocket-sized version of them in many consumer electronics product , such as ] laptops , electric cell phonesandiPods .
But there are a few bumps in the route for Li - ion batteries to become tomorrow’sgasoline , namely safe , costs and length of service . We ’ll check out the guard issue on the next pageboy .
Lithium-ion Battery Safety Concerns
Remember whenlaptops were bursting into flamein 2006 ? It was the lithium - ion battery .
Random plosion from overheat were n’t a far-flung problem , but nevertheless , lithium - ion battery maker Sony , which add up out with the first commercialized Li - ion battery in 1991 , had to come back more than 6 million computers because of it [ beginning : Lamb ] .
In the twosome of years since then , theLi - ion batteryhasn’t completely recover its report for safe . Now you may see why putting it inside of a motorcar bring in some citizenry a small antsy .
Why is there a probability for detonation ? Li - ion shelling ferment by separate its positive and negative English by a thin layer , called anelectrolyte . The electrolyte is penetrate to permit the lithium ions to pass through from one side of the chamber to the other , thus mother a current . Tiny bits of metal that lead from the manufacturing physical process can potentially get stuck in those perforations , prevent the ions from freely flowing . Pressure and heat can then construct up , causing an explosion . Also , allowing the ions to move too quickly can lead to overheating as well .
So how does the all - electricTesla Roadstermanage to pack 6,831 Li - ion batteries under its hood without risking a major blow - up ? The Tesla ’s energy storage system that move the car is outfit with acooling arrangement , which ensures the batteries do n’t overheat . It also regularise the speed of the flow of ions to keep them from re - charging or draining too rapidly .
Since railroad car party and scientist realize the unsubtle potential drop of Li - ion battery , they have stream time and money into finding means to contract any prophylactic hazards . For illustration , nanotechnology , the study ofatomsand nanostructures , may be able to prevent those dangerous explosion . New nanomaterials , such as nanophosphate , are n’t prone to shorting out like plumbago , the traditional Li - ion electrolyte [ source : Peter ] .
And address of time and money , before Li - ion batteries make their grand entrance into the consumer self-propelling world , they ask to be cheap and longer - lasting . study why and how on the next page .
Lithium-ion Battery Cost and Longevity
TheTesla Roadstercan go the eq of 256 miles per Imperial gallon . Just stop up it in overnight , and you could go up to 250 miles ( 402 km ) without stopping by the gas station . But there ’s a catch – a 2009 manikin retails for more than $ 100,000 .
Part of that hefty price is the silken , sports car design and amenities and the power to go from zero to 60 miles per minute in under four secondment – an acceleration that ranks among the best - performing gasoline sports cars . But that power does n’t come cheap . In fact , Li - ion batteries are around four to five times more expensive than nickel - metal - hydride ones [ author : Popely ] . Since the car - able pack can cost between $ 10,000 and $ 15,000 each , finding a cheaper choice will be a major hurdle for car companies that need to commercialize them [ root : Popely ] .
There ’s also an issue with the battery life-time . Like the AA battery that you put into your TVremote control , Li - ion batteries eventually die . Even if you are n’t using them , they ’ll commence to degrade as soon as they ’re made . you may recharge them , but only a special amount of times . It ’s like test to satisfy up a pitcher of water that has a tiny hole that grows bigger and bigger with each use .
We quantify battery length of service in cycles/second lives , or the number of multiplication that you’re able to run it down , charge it up and use it again . With Li - ion electric battery , starting from a 100 per centum fully - reload battery will give you a longer individual cycle spirit , but will trim the total bit of cycles you ’ll get from it . For that cause , the Tesla Roadster does n’t allow you to re - charge more than 95 percentage of the original baron or get it drain down to less than 2 percent [ source : Eberhard and Straubel ] . Also , the company image the shelling pack to last 100,000 statute mile , or five years . At that full stop , you would have to exchange the battery .
As with the safe issue , researcher are looking for a longer - lasting Lithium choice . And once again , nanotechnology seems to be leading the ingroup of potential solution . One fellowship , Altair Nanotechnologies announce in 2006 that it had obtain a new material that would far survive Li - ion batteries and recharge faster for the same price , phone atomic number 3 titanate [ origin : Bullis ] . Canadian railway car company Phoenix Motorcars is using lithium titanate battery in its line of galvanizing car that have a100 - plus mile range .
Toshiba has also do out with a tight - bill Li - ion battery initially forbicyclesand grammatical construction fomite that it eventually require to test in automobile [ source : MSNBC ] . In June 2008 , Toyota also advertize plans to join force with the company that produces its current crossbreed batteries to develop Li - ion battery by 2009 [ source : Kim ] .
With so much zip go into Li - ion barrage fire development , there ’s a strong possibility that they could be fueling our cars in the near future . For more info about tomorrow ’s cars and related data , visit the links on the next page .
