Featured Japanese automakers team up to solidify next-gen batteries

A reduction in energy density would mean more weight. Adding ultra capacitors for high power is interesting but significantly challenges matching a voltage-base energy storage to chemical-base. Voltage based ultra caps require high-power, variable voltage electronics. In contrast, batteries typically have a near flat discharge curve until the fully charged or discharged states.

Having followed GreenCarCongress for years, there is a high ratio of announcements, two orders of magnitude, to products. I'll be a lot more interested when I see a data sheet. Beware of PowerPoint engineering.

Bob Wilson

 

that would be collusion in the u.s.

 

Solid state batteries have similar or better energy density as Lion. The power density, especially when very cold though is not as good. That is what the ultra caps are meant to address. Mercedes in the project one is using F1 developed lion batteries. The spec sounds like they will be able to get 300 KW in bursts from a 4kwh battery (bursts because if we are talking 70% usable state of charge, it can provide all its energy in about 30 seconds). These are very expensive though. Let's talk 5 years out though (IMHO it will take at least that long for solid state to get in a car), and its quite reasonable to assume there will be an inexpensive lion or lithium polymer battery that can provide 100 KW from a 10 kwh pack that is similar in size to those in today's tesla. Let's say it costs $400/kwh in a pack and solid state costs $200/kwh and each kwh of energy can produce 2kw of power and is 1/3 the physical size of today's battery pack in the model 3. A 60 kwh pack would take up about 1/3 of the physical volume of the pack in the model 3 long range (80.5 kwh) and cost about $14K, providing 150 kw of power.

The advantage of this 2 battery system, is faster charging, better heat resistance, less space.

I really do not expect solid state to work well in a car for a decade though. After it works another big advantage should become lower cost, but that will not be true initially.

There already are data sheets on solid state batteries. The stuff they are promising is only in the lab though. The professor that first developed lithium ion batteries is now collaberating on some exciting developments, but nothing is that close to being in a car. Lap tops and cell phones are the first tests.

 

Go Japan !!! In the mean time ... are their competing battery cell manufacturers made in Korea? If not, then where? Anyway . . . . Here's to hoping Japan can some day nearly catch Tesla, and their configurations. In the mean time ... i thank you Japan -for your last offering;

The 52 mile - shopping cart sized IQ EV ... a whopping 52 miles of battery range. Way to go. Sorry folks .... Business/organization Lease only. And only a had full at that - similar to fool cell limited availability.



oh well - shouldn't be too hard to raise the bar

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Are these for Domestic use.....how big is Japan?

 

I've spotted a couple at the Irvine train station, as well as one at the Irvine Costco. If that matters.
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You sure it was not a Smart car...I have never seen one stateside.

 

Smart and IQ are two different animals for the record

 

But look similar, and the IQ is better made if you intend to keep it for long period of time.

 

Toyota had planned to offer them for sale in the US during the same time as the Rav4 EV. Designed in house, the project was following the conclusions of old studies that had Toyota believing people only wanted cheap, short range BEVs. It had the short range; the 53 miles was on a Japanese cycle, it was 38 miles on EPA. Then Toyota forgot the cheap part; 3.6 million yen in Japan, which would be over $45k. After the details came out, the plan for large production and sales to public were stopped.

The iQ ICE was cancelled here after poor sales. Same for the smart, but the ED is still available.

The i-Road looks like fun, but its top speed is 30 to 40 miles depending on market. Such EVs have been available for well over a decade now. Granted, not with the auto leaning tech, but there are EV motorcycles with it.