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EV Batteries Breakthrough

Written by G. McNullty 13.06.11
lithium-ion-batteryBecause potential EV buyers know that the main risk of purchasing an EV is its short-lived battery, life manufacturers are luring them with larger-than-life warranty options. The Chevrolet Volt, an electric car, announced an 8-year, 160,000 kilometer warranty (around 10,000 miles) for its battery. As much as people try to keep their cars in tune, it's quite a struggle because of the busy lifestyles they lead.

Basically, Chevrolet gives those who want to purchase their $100,000 vehicle 8 years of mindless maintenance that saves time, money and effort—three of the things everybody values. Tesla, who manufactures Roadster, an all-performance electric sports car, offer their clients 3 years and 36,000 miles of warranty- shorter than what Chevrolet has to give, but far greater when it comes to mileage.

For those who convert their gasoline-powered engines to fully electrical ones, warranties are not much of an option. Because these are mostly DIY, the driver is liable for his or her own EV battery.

A person uses a car very often- mostly all day. Electric cars lose their health because of multiple recharges and use. Although these cars are still far from the practical side of things, its long term effects is what make people buy them, and a battery with warranty gives these consumers a level of comfort and ease.

Lithium-ions offer more than double the energy density of nickel-metal hydride, storing up to 81 watt-hours per pound.

When drained, it can be charged at any 230-volt power socket, and you can charge the batteries up to 1,000 times. Rumor has it the Tesla battery can last up to 10 years.

Special electronics ensure that all is well with the battery. The electronics also monitor the charging process and control the capacity display. The vehicle's power electronics supply the electrical system with electric current from the battery via a DC/DC converter. They also control the heating and air conditioning, for example, to minimize the strain on the battery.

Let's look at a mixture of situations of the lithium-ion battery. The electrodes of a lithium-ion battery are made of lightweight lithium and carbon.

With the innate volatility of lithium metal during charging, research shifted to a non-metallic lithium battery using lithium ions. Lithium-ion is a low maintenance battery, an advantage that most other types cannot claim.

The energy density of lithium-ion is typically twice that of the standard nickel-cadmium. Aging is a concern with most lithium-ion batteries and many manufacturers remain silent about this issue.

Heat causes lithium-ion battery packs to degrade much faster than they normally would and if you completely discharge a lithium-ion battery, it's garbage.

Because of the inherent instability of lithium metal, especially during charging, research shifted to a non-metallic lithium battery using lithium ions. Lithium-ion is a low maintenance battery, an advantage that most other chemistry cannot claim.

A lithium-ion battery pack must have an on-board computer to manage the battery. There is a small chance that, if a lithium-ion battery pack fails, it will burst into flame.

Lithium-ion battery packs come in all shapes and sizes, but they all look about the same on the inside.

Lithium Ion Car Batteries – Are Lithium Ion Batteries the Wave of the Future? Because cars are attributed to causing tons of air pollution, car manufacturers and scientists have been developing alternative fuel sources.

One of the leading alternative fuel sources available is electricity. Although lead acid batteries and nickel metal hydride (NiHM) batteries have been used to power electric vehicles, manufacturers are beginning to use lithium ion car batteries instead. Although lithium ion batteries are used in laptops and cell phones, many consumers and automobile experts are wondering if lithium ion batteries are best suited to power electric cars.

There are many benefits associated with the use of lithium ion car batteries. For one, lithium ions batteries possess a higher energy density than lead acid or NiMH batteries. This simply means that lithium ion batteries can store more energy within them. Lithium ion batteries pack twice the energy of NiHM batteries and six times the energy of lead acid batteries. In addition, lithium ion batteries are cheaper to produce. This can be attributed to the decrease in lithium prices and the need for fewer materials. The most beneficial thing about lithium ion batteries is that are environmentally friendly. Because lithium is less toxic than lead and nickel, it is likely to negatively affect the environment. In addition, the batteries can also be recycled.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 26 October 2011 11:24
 

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