German Researchers Create Lithium Ion Battery That Could Last 25 Years
It seems we're constantly hearing about breakthroughs in battery technology, and though some of today's laptops and tablets boast all-day battery life, we're still waiting for the killer technology that will enable days, if not weeks and months of run time. A new lithium-ion battery developed by German scientists won't get us any closer to that goal, but it could be a big deal for electric vehicles.
Using materials that exclusively originate from German companies, scientists at Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW, from here on out) created a Li-ion battery that retains most of its capacity after 10,000 recharge cycles.
"After 10,000 complete charging and discharging cycles with a complete charge and discharge cycle per hour (2 C), our lithium batteries still have more than 85 percent of the initial capacity. That also provides excellent prospects for a long calendar life," said Dr. Margret Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, head of the Accumulator Material Research Department in Ulm.
The upshot for electric cars and those who purchase them is that the batteries could last several decades without losing significant capacity. Other components in the vehicle are likely to fail long before the battery ever needs replaced.
As with most battery breakthroughs, this one still needs tweaking and isn't yet ready for mass adoption.
Using materials that exclusively originate from German companies, scientists at Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW, from here on out) created a Li-ion battery that retains most of its capacity after 10,000 recharge cycles.
"After 10,000 complete charging and discharging cycles with a complete charge and discharge cycle per hour (2 C), our lithium batteries still have more than 85 percent of the initial capacity. That also provides excellent prospects for a long calendar life," said Dr. Margret Wohlfahrt-Mehrens, head of the Accumulator Material Research Department in Ulm.
The upshot for electric cars and those who purchase them is that the batteries could last several decades without losing significant capacity. Other components in the vehicle are likely to fail long before the battery ever needs replaced.
As with most battery breakthroughs, this one still needs tweaking and isn't yet ready for mass adoption.
