« Study Shows Why the Flu Likes Winter | Main | Google aims for renewable energy priced below coal »
December 12, 2007
New battery breakthrough for electric cars
http://www.physorg.com/news116482073.html
Germans were said to be plodding along behind, but batteries made by the a firm called Li-Tec "take up 30 percent less volume than those from Toyota" and "allow you to go three times further for the same weight than French models," said Tim Schaefer, a director of the company in eastern Kamenz.
"The foundations have now been laid" for the building of electric cars that also deliver performance, he added.
A spokesman for the German tool and auto parts company Bosch said: "It's a step towards totally electric cars."
Housed in a stylish rectangular silver pouch, the "Separion" consists of two lithium electrodes in an electrolyte, or liquid conductor.
What differentiates it from similar batteries is that the electrodes are separated by a flexible ceramic membrane that provides greater thermal stability, according to the German group.
A drawback of lithium-ion batteries is a risk of explosion if they overheat.
According to Felix von Borck, director of the Akasol research center in western Darmstadt, the Separion goes a long way towards resolving that problem.
"It's a true technological break," Borck said. "It is a crucial boost for the success of lithium-ion batteries."
Li-Tec has joined a consortium that includes Bosch, chemical giant BASF and German car maker Volkswagen to develop the product, which has existed for two years.
New Energy | By doctormatt | 09:33 PM