What will it take to make microhybrids successful? For one thing: Far more robust
hp laptop batteries and starter systems than is found in your typical internal combustion engine. The snag is, however, that the market wont tolerate a huge price premium, which is proving to be a challenge.
That is not lost on upstart Axion Power International, a New Castle, Pa., company that makes a lead-carbon battery technology that it is pitching as an alternative to existing
HP 493976-001 Battery technologies. Tom Granville, founder and CEO of Axion, says his companys technology can withstand more charge-discharge cycles than traditional lead-acid batteries because it replaces lead-based negative electrodes with carbon electron ultracapacitors.
According to Granville, this approach helps extend the battery life, plus the Axion battery can discharge and recharge more quickly which is a big deal if you are stuck in serious stop-and-go traffic.
At present, commonly used lead acid, nickel metal hydride or lithium ion rechargeable batteries in electric vehicles have technological, cost and environmental limitations, in addition to short circuiting issues. With predictions that the rapid growth of the global market for EV and hybrid EVs is expected to top $2 billion by 2015 there is good promise for new
HP 537626-001 Battery technologies.
A postgraduate researcher with the Department of Chemistry, Claire Fullarton is focused on the design, production and properties of a new type of prototype
590544-001 Battery , which would offer an improved performance, safety and environmental sustainability.
"This research involves the development of a new class of fast rechargeable batteries based on a zinc-plastic system incorporating a novel, inexpensive, environmentally sustainable solvent," said Miss Fullarton.
"This approach is necessitated by the problems associated with petrol and diesel powered vehicles, such as environmental impact, rising fuel prices, the looming shortage of oil and the limitations of
HP 579027-001 Battery available for electric vehicles."
