Cars of the future could be powered by their bodywork thanks to new battery technology

Researchers from Imperial College London and their European partners, including Volvo Car Corporation, are developing a prototype material which can store and discharge electrical energy and which is also strong and lightweight enough to be used for car parts. Ultimately, they expect that this material could be used in hybrid petrol/electric vehicles to make them lighter, more compact and more...

Nissan To Double EV Battery Capacity by 2015

Nissan continues to make headlines on a regular basis. The much talked about Leaf EV is of course the center of attraction for the company. Numerous articles have popped up recently discussing every aspect of the vehicle. A recent article on this site discussed the possibility of leasing the battery for the Leaf EV and comments ranged from people accepting of the idea to those downright...

World Debut: Starter Battery in Lithium-Ion Technology

Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is the first car maker in the world to offer a starter battery in lithium-ion technology. Weighing less than 6 kg or 13 lb, the new battery is more than 10 kg or 22 lb lighter than a conventional 60 Ah lead battery. The new lithium-ion battery will be available as of January 2010 for the 911 GT3, 911 GT 3 RS, and Boxster Spyder as an option delivered with the car, selling...

Nissan and Sumitomo launch venture to recycle li-ion batteries

issan Motor Co., Ltd., and Sumitomo Corporation today announced joint plans to initiate a business venture to “Reuse, Resell, Refabricate and Recycle” lithium-ion batteries previously used in electric cars, giving them a “second-life” as energy-storage solutions in markets worldwide. The “4R” business model defined by the two companies is designed to capitalize...

Improved redox flow batteries for electric cars

A new type of redox flow battery presents a huge advantage for electric cars. If the rechargeable batteries are low, the discharged electrolyte fluid can simply be exchanged at the gas station for recharged fluid – as easy as refilling the petrol tank. Electric mobility is becoming increasingly important. The German government’s ambitious plan envisages one million electric cars being sold in...