Li-ion batteries: news, progress, history and background

Article on Business Insider : Tesla Stock Is Tanking After A Third Model S In Two Months Catches Fire ( Mamta Badkar Nov. 7, 2013) A Tesla Model S car caught fire on Wednesday in Smyrna, Tennessee, according to Tesla Motors Club blog (via ValueWalk). This is the third Tesla to Model S vehicle to catch fire in the past six weeks, a Tesla spokesperson confirmed to Reuters. The driver of the vehicle was said to have sustained no injuries and a Tesla team is on its way to Tennessee to see what happened. Tesla again pointed out that the fire was the result of an accident and not  "spontaneous." @Nashvillian_ on Twitter posted this image : I-24 #tesla #teslafire pic.twitter.com/ia9tbftn4V — E (@NASHVILLAIN_) November 6, 2013 A Tesla Model S caught fire in Mexico back in October after the car crashed through a concrete wall and into a tree. Before that, another Model S caught fire after colliding with a large me...

Unlike dense ceramic coatings applied as a separate layer on competing separators, PPT’s products contain ceramic particles that are thoroughly distributed throughout their chemically inert PVDF polymer. The particles reside primarily in the pore walls, leaving a large and uniform open pore structure that enables ions to pass through with less resistance and less heat generation.  * More power in high-current applications  * Reduced separator shrinkage  * Increased thermal stability with less cell degradation  * Extended cycle life * Higher bake-out and operating temperatures  * Improved puncture and abuse resistance    Although, the application of such separator may improve safety, however according to presented test data it will have minimal effect, or not significant. Depends on battery package, it may have serious explosion (due to electrolyte flammability) at much lower temperature.  

Sumitomo earlier reported that it has achieved energy densities as high as 290 Wh/L with the new battery. A drawback to the general class of molten salt batteries (e.g., the ZEBRA battery , or GE’s Durathon sodium-metal halide batteries, earlier post) has been the need for high operating temperatures to keep the salt molten. Being non-volatile and non-flammable , and with high ion concentrations, molten salt makes an excellent battery electrolyte and can offer high energy and power densities. In a joint project with Kyoto University , Sumitomo developed a molten salt with a melting point as low as 57 °C. Using this salt, it developed the new molten-salt electrolyte battery. Since it comprises only nonflammable materials, the new battery will not ignite on contact with air from outside, nor is there thermal runaway from overcharging or temperature rises in the battery. For this reason, Sumitomo says, there is no need for waste-heat storage or fire- and explosion-proof equipment, so ...

Ioxus Inc. is an up and comer in the energy storage industry that has plans this Monday to announce a new hybrid storage device that it hopes will radically alter batteries used in the auto, medical, and consumer electronics industries. The teased product is said to be roughly the size of a typical C-cell battery and combines the fast charge / discharge benefits of ultracapacitors with the impressive energy-to-weight ratio of a lithium-ion electrode. As a result, Ioxus says the hybrid devices can store more than double the energy of traditional ultracapacitors and charge in a matter of seconds. The catch is that the hybrids have shorter life spans of 20,000 cycles compared to millions of cycles for typical ultracapacitors. We're also taking this with a grain of skepticism until these claims are proven in the field. Some brief digging though did unearth an article written by MIT researchers and published in Scientific American last year that discusses the possible benefits of s...

New international safety rules agreed for electric cars : "An international safety standard for electric and hybrid vehicles has been adopted this week as the ‘World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations’. The adoption of the new type approval clears the way for the early uptake of electric cars across 41 countries which have mutual recognition of this approval. The new regulations cover all [...] " (Via Green cars: latest news .)

Yet another "hybrid" type or some kind of battery/capacitor energy storage concept... Battery-like device could power electric cars - CNN.com : "AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Millions of inventions pass quietly through the U.S. patent office each year. Patent No. 7,033,406 did, too, until energy insiders spotted six words in the filing that sounded like a death knell for the internal combustion engine. An Austin-based startup called EEStor promised 'technologies for replacement of electrochemical batteries,' meaning a motorist could plug in a car for five minutes and drive 500 miles roundtrip between Dallas and Houston without gasoline. By contrast, some plug-in hybrids on the horizon would require motorists to charge their cars in a wall outlet overnight and promise only 50 miles of gasoline-free commute. And the popular hybrids on the road today still depend heavily on fossil fuels. 'It's a paradigm shift,' said Ian Clifford, chief executive of Toronto-base...

Not much information right now. This certainly doesn't mark the first case in which the US Army has fiddled with hybrid vehicles, but the Maneuver Sustainment Vehicle (MSV) that the military is currently testing out most definitely ups the ante in other areas. The diesel-electric hybrid truck touts an insanely rugged frame designed to "sustain the concussion of a roadside bomb," and after it brushes off that weak attempt to render it immobile, the remote weapons system should inflict a fair amount of vengeance on the enemy. Moreover, the highly-spec'd machines also feature night vision capabilities, touchscreen controls, swarms of video cameras, and ballistic-grade glass to boot. Unfortunately, the limited fleet of MSVs are currently being recognized as "concept vehicles" to be used for demonstration purposes alone, but we're sure there's a number of defense contractors that could piece together a slightly less vicious version for your own garage if ...

Another ad for A123 and their battery on The New York Times (previous week ago - Forbes, see below): A123Systems, a start-up in Watertown, Mass., says it has created a powerful, safe, long-lived battery. If the cell fulfills the ambitions of its maker, that softer sound will be the future of automobiles. A123Systems’ ambition is to apply a new technology, born from original science, to solve a difficult problem. The company’s chairman is Gururaj Deshpande, the entrepreneur who also is a co-founder and chairman of Sycamore Networks. As he explained: “This company can play a role in reducing our dependence on oil and in cleaning up the environment. Any company that gets to contribute to those efforts in whatever measure would have done good in the world.” Full story

LEVconference.org : "Light Electric Vehicle Conference 2007 Hsinchu Taiwan, March 20-23, 2007" Highlights 20 March 2007: EnergyBus The industry meets to to learn about and discuss the further developlment of the EnergyBus. Experts will explain the functions and advantages of this stan- dardized communication protocol and its plug system. In one sentence: It will revolutionize the LEV world. 21 March 2007: Battery Safety Leading manufacturers will provide an insight into the latest battery developments. Learn all about battery shipment and testing according to UN regulations and the liability of LEV manufacturers and distributors – a key issue after prominent battery fires in the past. 22 March 2007: Technology The most innovative motor, transmission sensor, power electronics, and chip manufacturers will present their achievements and future strategies. ExtraEnergy will present the latest results of the 2006/07 pedelec and e-bike tests. 23 March 2007: Markets and Legislation N...

1. Saab planning hybrid based on GM system (Luxury division also shows ethanol-powered concept. Executive declines to set target date for hybrid) GENEVA (Reuters) -- Saab Auto has a hybrid vehicle in development based on technology being developed by parent company General Motors Corp, a senior executive said on Tuesday. Saab will also cut development costs by sharing more parts with other GM (Charts) vehicles, integrating the Swedish brand more closely in GM's operations, Saab Managing Director Jan Ake Jonsson said on the sidelines of the Geneva auto show. Full story 2. Hybrid Car Sales, February 2007 Toyota and Nissan made the big splash this month in their hybrid car sales. Toyota sold 187,330 vehicles, an increase of 12.2 percent over February 2006. Of those, 10.1% were hybrids. Meanwhile, Nissan debuted the Nissan Altima Hybrid. Full story 3. Lotus Hybrid Proton Gen.2 Lotus is looking to break into the hybrid marketplace with a prototype to be unveiled at the Geneva Internatio...

Nano-Batteries That Keep On Going - Forbes.com : "Nano-Batteries That Keep On Going Josh Wolfe, Forbes/Wolfe Nanotech Report 03.06.08, 4:30 PM ET" An interesting article was published today on Forbes about continue developing affords on battery technology implementing nano-particles as active material. The article focused on potential market and main (so far) player A123 leaving behind technical problems and/or advantage. Most interesting here that "in December, the U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium, a group that includes DaimlerChrysler (nyse: DCX - news - people ), Ford Motor (nyse: F - news - people ) and General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ), awarded A123 Systems a 36-month, $15 million contract. The contract will fund development of a lower-cost lithium-ion phosphate battery technology with enhanced power, lifetime and durability for hybrid-electric vehicle applications". "Also, earlier this month, GM awarded contracts for undisclosed sums ...

Edmunds gets a test drive in Ford's multi-million dollar concept About a month ago, DailyTech first brought you a glimpse at Ford's Edge HySeries crossover utility vehicle (CUV). In its current form, the concept features a hydrogen fuel cell, a 336-volt lithium-ion battery pack and electric motors for propulsion. Ford can also adapt the chassis to accommodate gasoline-electric or diesel-electric hybrid powertrains. Ford's $2 million USD plug-in hybrid fuel cell vehicle From top to bottom: fuel cell, hydrogen tank and li-ion battery pack The editors at Edmunds were recently given a chance to drive the $2 million USD Ford Edge HySeries concept vehicle . The 5,400 pound CUV is powered solely by electricity, so power delivery is turbine smooth and quiet. Edmunds likened its forward progress to that of a "horizontal elevator." And by using a hydrogen fuel cell, the Edge HySeries has no harmful emissions and only releases water vapor into the environment. The Edge...

HARBIN, CHINA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- March 01, 2007 -- Advanced Battery Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: ABAT), a developer and manufacturer of rechargeable Polymer-Lithium-Ion ("PLI") batteries, announced today that it has signed a sales contract with Beijing Guoqiang Global Technology Development Co., Ltd. ("BGTDC") to supply a total of 3,000 sets of PLI battery cell packs for use in 3,000 electric garbage trucks specially designed for the 2008 Olympics Games. This contract when fully executed is worth RMB 81,000,000 or about $10,000,000. The first batch of 200 sets of PLI battery cell packs shall be delivered no later than the 20th workday in May 2007.The balance of the order shall be delivered on 15 day increments upon notice by the buyer, which will continue until the completion of this contract or within one year from February 25, 2007. According to BGTDC, these all-electric sanitation trucks will be showcased for the 2008 Olympics Games by the Beijing Olympics Committ...

Cobasys and A123Systems partner to develop Li-Ion HEV batteries Cobasys and A123Systems have signed a memorandum of understanding regarding a partnership to develop, manufacture, sell, and service lithium-ion (Li-Ion) energy storage systems for hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) applications. The agreement will include joint development, marketing and supply of A123Systems nanophosphate lithium batteries and Cobasys systems integration and manufacturing of battery systems for HEV markets. Cobasys will act as the tier one supplier, providing packaging, thermal management, wiring, electronics, and control algorithms. It will also help develop requirements and specifications to meet the integration needs of customers and partners and will provide validation testing of fully integrated lithium battery systems. A123Systems will manufacture and supply its automotive-class nanophosphate lithium-ion cells and technology. Cobasys, a joint ventu...

Toyota Developing Plug-In Hybrid, Researching Market : "Toyota Developing Plug-In Hybrid, Researching Market March 2, 2007 By Reuters DETROIT—Toyota Motor Corp. is working on developing a plug-in hybrid vehicle and is open to joining with other automakers in battery development, the president of its North American operations said on Friday." Toyota , which leads the market in hybdrid sales, has not detailed plans to build a plug-in, although some environmental groups have modified its top-selling Prius hybrid so that it can be recharged with an electrical outlet. "We are doing consumer research right now as well as product development," Toyota North America President Jim Press told Reuters in an interview, when asked about plug-in hybrid development. Press added the biggest challenge would be developing the next-generation battery, which Toyota is now working on internally. "We would be quite open to any kind of sharing," Press said of a possible allia...

What is a hybrid car? ~ Hybrid Car Review : "What is a Hybrid Car? A hybrid car, by definition, is any car with multiple power sources. In most cases, there are only two power sources, but there can be more. A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) comes about when an internal combustion engine (ICE) is mated with an electric power source (generator/motor) to move the car along. But there are other possibilities, including a fuel cell coupled with an electric motor, or a fuel cell mated to a gas engine, or you name it. For the most part, though, HEVs have become synonymous with the term hybrid. Hybrid Car Features Hybrid cars tend to come with several things. Regenerative braking helps restore power to the large battery packs necessary for the electric motor (more on that later). Some people claim that the regenerative braking makes the braking feel different. Also, HEVs tend to shut down the gas engine when the car is stopped. Which means you won't hear the engine start when you turn ...