Car Battery News

 

Vehicle manufactures "opt-in" for "plug-ins"

 

Many in the automotive industry are looking to the future and the future looks decidedly more electric than the hybrid vehicles beginning the green movement we see on our roads today, the future is plug-in. With rapid advancement in car battery technology, organizations such as the US department of energy say that the latest lithium-ion batteries are ready to displace the nickel-metal-hydride batteries now used in many hybrid petrol-electric vehicles.

San Jose California was host to the 2008 Plug-In conference, paneled by university, government and industry bodies. The overwhelming feeling from the conference is that lithium-ion batteries will power our personal vehicles well into the future and the rush is on for vehicle manufactures to deliver the goods.

 

Toyota has said it will release a plug-in hybrid with lithium-ion batteries by 2010. Also General Motors plans to release a plug-in vehicle called the Chevrolet Volt in 2010. The use of the lithium-ion batteries will provide greater length of travel between charges. They have more storage capacity, cost less and are smaller and more reliable than nickel-metal-hydride battery. There are however, many obstacles still to overcome. Removing the heat from the core of the lithium-ion batteries is an issue and one that most be addressed convincingly to quell any fears of fires in a plug-in automobile. Cost effective production of full plug-in vehicles will need to see a drop in the manufacturing price of lithium-ion batteries with most vehicle packs currently costing over $10,000.

 

While we still iron out the creases of this new paradigm of automobiles we can be sure that the future is green and cars will never be the same.