Electric-vehicle batteries

Electric vehicles that can't reach trolley wires need batteries. In the early 1900's electric cars disappeared when owners found that replacing the car's worn-out lead-acid battery costs more than a new gasoline-powered car. Most of today's electric cars are still propelled by lead-acid batteries. General Motors in their prototype Impact, for example, used starting-lighting-ignition batteries, which deliver lots of power for demonstrations, but have a life of less than 100 deep discharges. Now promising alternative technology has challenged the world-wide lead miners, refiners, and battery makers into forming a consortium that sponsors research into making better lead-acid batteries. Horizon's new bipolar battery delivered 50 watt-hours per kg (Wh/kg), compared with 20 for ordinary transport-vehicle batteries. The alternatives are delivering from 80 Wh/kg (nickel-metal hydride) up to 200 Wh/kg (zinc-bromine). A Fiat Panda traveled 260 km on a single charge of its zinc-bromine battery. A German 3.5-ton postal truck traveled 300 km with a single charge in its 650-kg (146 Wh/kg) zinc-air battery. Its top speed was 110 km per hour. >

[1]  L. Bowen,et al.  A microcontroller controlled battery fuel gauge and charger , 1994, Proceedings of 9th Annual Battery Conference on Applications and Advances.

[2]  B. Dickinson,et al.  Demonstration of a zinc bromine battery in an electric vehicle , 1994, IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine.

[3]  T. Juergens,et al.  A new high rate lead acid battery , 1994, IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine.

[4]  J. L. Arias,et al.  Development update on the ARA Sealed Bipolar Lead-Acid battery , 1994, Proceedings of 9th Annual Battery Conference on Applications and Advances.

[5]  J. Glanz.  Lithium battery takes to water--and maybe the road. , 1994, Science.

[6]  B. Koretz,et al.  Tests of a full-sized mechanically rechargeable zinc-air battery in an electric vehicle , 1993, IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine.

[7]  G. Tomazic.  Considerations regarding the comparison of traction batteries , 1994, IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine.

[8]  E. Valeriote,et al.  Fast charging of lead-acid batteries , 1994, Proceedings of 9th Annual Battery Conference on Applications and Advances.

[9]  D. E. Reisner,et al.  Bipolar nickel-metal hydride battery for hybrid vehicles , 1994, Proceedings of 9th Annual Battery Conference on Applications and Advances.

[10]  Frank M. Harris,et al.  Zinc-air rechargeable batteries for mobile power , 1994, Proceedings of 9th Annual Battery Conference on Applications and Advances.