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Hybrid Vehicles Electric Vehicles Electric Vehicle Pros & Cons
1586 messages, Last post on Oct 23, 2009 at 4:19 PM
You are in the Electric Vehicles Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Replying to: apeweek (Nov 11, 2007 9:57 am) They are much better for the environment: Firefly Energy’s patented carbon-graphite foam plate technology presents a number of environmental advantages. First, we replace the heavy, corrosion-prone lead grids, which comprise up to 70% of a typical lead acid battery’s weight, with a non-toxic material. Therefore, there’s less lead to recycle at the end of life. Secondly, this lightweight foam is porous, and it provides more surface area for the energy-generating chemistry to occur. This means that less lead chemistry is needed than in a typical lead acid battery, leading to less lead recycled at end of life. Thirdly, because the positive lead metal grids corrode and the negative metal grids sulfate, life is shortened in a typical lead acid battery. The Firefly foam is much more resilient against these two common failure modes. Longer life means a lower volume of batteries recycled. Finally, the technology developed by Firefly Energy reduces both human exposure risk and hazardous waste generation. Batteries containing Firefly’s technology can be recycled through the existing lead acid recycling infrastructure. Other “advanced technology” battery alternatives, such as nickel metal hydride and lithium ion, do not have any recycling infrastructure. In fact, the battery’s owner must actually pay the recycler to take the battery! Carbon is already used to increase the temperature for the smelting of lead. Firefly’s carbon-graphite foam plate material is simply burned away – and actually is a net fuel for increasing smelting temperatures - and the remaining lead in the battery is recycled.
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Replying to: gagrice (Nov 11, 2007 1:09 pm) No, it means the cost of one of the raw materials used is 50% higher for the manufacturer. There is a lot more to the cost of making a battery (and most things) than just the cost of raw materials and there are also things other than manufacturing costs that are involved in determining the market price for a product.
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Replying to: jeffyscott (Nov 11, 2007 1:33 pm) Whittingham notes that although the titanium sulfide battery was technologically sound, it wasn't a commercial success. Success with lithium-ion batteries came some 15 years later when Sony introduced a battery that incorporated a lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) cathode and a lithium-intercalated carbon (LiC6) anode. The cobalt-based battery was a hit with portable electronics applications because of its ability to store a lot of energy in a small, lightweight package. PS I think with all the downsides to Li-Ion we should be looking at other technologies. I think Caterpillar has hit on just such a possibility.
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Replying to: gagrice (Nov 11, 2007 1:47 pm) The most common EV lithium battery is LiFePO4, without cobalt. This type of battery is also safer and longer lived than the LiCoO2 cell (it doesn't explode, either.) Materials costs are rising because of the falling dollar. Any materials that can be locally mined will have an advantage. |
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Replying to: gagrice (Nov 11, 2007 8:27 am)
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Replying to: reddroverr (Nov 12, 2007 6:23 pm)
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The Xebra becomes the first four-door electric car to be approved for street use in the UK. Check the Alternate Route's take on being Street Legal |
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Replying to: gagrice (Nov 12, 2007 6:25 pm) Enerdel's battery technology is similar to Altairnano's, no Cobalt or risk of thermal runaway. They also claim that the price of these battery packs will be low enough to allow for drivers to recoup the initial price premium of an EV within 2 years. We'll see but it sounds pretty good.
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Replying to: tpe (Nov 20, 2007 5:29 am) Let's hope so, but that statement in itself is pretty vague. Do they give what they based that statement on? I looked at the company. Tiny little thing...perhaps..perhaps.
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Replying to: reddroverr (Nov 25, 2007 2:37 pm) "Lithium ion batteries developed by the German company called Li-Tec, which is taking part in a development program with Bosch, "take up 30% less volume than those from Toyota" and "allow you to go three times further for the same weight than French models, " according to Li -Tec director Tim Schaefer. Li-Tec’s ‘Separion’ system consists of two lithium electrodes in an electrolyte, separated by a flexible ceramic membrane that reportedly provides greater thermal stability than has so far been achieved in lithium ion batteries. Their tendency to overheat is what led Toyota to delay installing li-ion batteries in the forthcoming third-generation Prius hybrid. Other consortia besides Bosch are also developing lithium ion battery technologies focused on thermal control." http://puregreencars.com/Green-Cars-News/Technology/Li-Tec-Reports-Lithium-Ion-B- attery-Breakthrough.html
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