Mercedes has released some more details on its S 500 Plug-in Hybrid, which is scheduled to begin deliveries in Germany this month. The plug-in Benz sports a V6 biturbo engine, an 85 kW electric motor, an 8.7 kWh water-cooled lithium-iron phosphate battery, and a 3.6 kW on-board charger. The high-voltage battery and plug-in components are covered… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "Lithium Iron Phosphate"
A closer look at how batteries fail
A lot of research has been done to improve lithium-ion battery safety, cycle life and power output over a range of high and low temperatures, yet understanding the fundamental processes and degradation mechanisms in Li-ion batteries remains a challenge. To understand the degradation processes of lithium-ion batteries, it is important to understand how they operate…. Read more »
Portland begins testing BYD electric bus
Chinese EV-maker BYD’s electric buses are attracting a lot of interest from North American cities. At least two transit authorities in California, and two in Canada, are currently testing BYD buses, with a view to ordering a dozen or so each (meanwhile, the Chinese city of Hangzhou has just placed an order for 2,000). The… Read more »
Battery maker Valence Technology exits Chapter 11
Valence Technology has emerged from the Chapter 11 business reorganization process as a privately held company, and closed on a $20-million loan provided by its new owner, Berg & Berg Enterprises, LLC. Silicon Valley developer and VC investor Carl Berg helped found Valence and has served on its board of directors since 1991. Valence manufactures… Read more »
The new A123 looks a lot like the old A123: Q&A with Jeff Kessen
Start-ups are tough. The majority of them do not succeed, particularly those built around new technologies in burgeoning industries. Nowhere is this more evident than in the EV industry. Even with political support and government grants, many companies have miscalculated the market and the capital required to make it into the black. In October 2012,… Read more »
UK railway to test battery electric train
The UK’s Department for Transport, together with railroad operator Network Rail and equipment manufacturer Bombardier, is developing a prototype battery-powered locomotive as part of a study into the feasibility of using battery electric trains on parts of the railway which have not been electrified. According to Network Rail, electric trains are quicker, quieter, and more… Read more »
Researchers discover memory effect in Li-ion batteries
Scientists at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Toyota Central R&D Labs have reported a memory effect in lithium-iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries that appears after only one cycle of partial charge and discharge. Memory effects are well known to users of nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal-hydride batteries. If these batteries are recharged repeatedly after being only partially… Read more »
Smith Electric Vehicles: the long haul and the short end of the stick
Smith sees a bright future in electric trucks on the horizon, but must wade through a sea of speculation to get there. All Smith Electric Vehicles Corp. wanted was a long-term growth strategy that would let the company scale up production of its all-electric, zero-emission medium-duty trucks at the same time that it beefed up… Read more »
Can phase change material mitigate thermal runaway in Li-ion packs?
(This article originally appeared in Charged Issue 6 – JAN/FEB 2013) AllCell Technologies’ new phase change thermal management material If you have spent time at any of the EV industry trade shows, you’ve probably heard the term thermal runaway. It refers to a chain reaction in which an increase in temperature causes further increases in temperature and uncontrollable… Read more »
Dow’s new battery material offers 10-15% more energy density
The new material could serve as a “drop-in” upgrade for existing iron phosphate-based materials in cells using existing electrolyte and anode combinations.