will lithium-ion batteries power cars?1
The development of hybrid and electric vehicles seems to be a natural step in the development of automotive technology.
Analysts have not predicted that oil and gas prices will fall quickly, effectively shifting automakers to high-end vehicles to find the next best way to drive their cars.
If the concept car recently released by major automakers is an accurate predictor, lithium-ion batteries (Li-ion)
It could be the magic bullet.
Take the Chevrolet Volt as an example.
This is the plug for GM.
Design and run in hybrid concept car 40-mile (64. 3-kilometer)
Extend completely from Liion batteries.
After that, a small gasoline engine will continue to operate for 600 miles. 965 kilometers).
This means that many people can complete their daily commute without burning a drop of gas.
In addition, the company plans to launch these products on a large scale by 2010.
Chevrolet is not the only car. ion trend.
Jeeps, Cadillac, Dodge, Land Rover, Chrysler and Saturn all Preview 2008 concept cars featuring Li
Ion battery pack driven in green [Source: Mahoney].
Why should this please Li?
The ion battery first?
Toyota Prius and two new hybrid vehicles were released in June 2008. metal-Hydrogen batteries.
According to the latest EPA standards, Prius travels 46 miles per gallon-
Not to mention it sold like a hot cake. [
Source: fuel economy. gov].
But in terms of energy,
The ion battery is just a more powerful punch. Li-
Ion batteries store more energy in less space than conventional lead batteriesAcid and nickelmetal-hydride ones.
Lithium has the largest energy density and potential in all metals, and this is its endurance [
Source: Brickman]. The nickel-metal-
Hybrid batteries on the road are also heavy, limiting their potential while Li-
Ion batteries can increase the speed without reducing the weight of the car.
Because of this, you can find smaller versions of them, such as laptops, mobile phones and ipod, in many consumer electronics products.
But for Li, there are some bumps on the road.
The ion battery becomes gasoline for tomorrow, that is, safety, cost and life.
We will look at security issues on the next page.