Crash-Safe Battery Protection For Electric Cars

The scientists and engineers at Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology ICT in Pfinztal, Germany have developed a crash safe case for lithium-ion batteries with a lightweight fiber reinforced composite material.

The team of experts comprises colleagues from the Fraunhofer Institutes for Mechanics of Materials IWM, for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF and for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach Institute EMI. The battery housing developed to protect the 340 kilograms (749.57 lbs.) battery only weighs 35 kilograms (77.16 lbs.) 25% less than the current option made of steel. It is strong enough to withstand a crash, assuming a ten-fold gravitational acceleration and even the collision of a sharp object hitting at 60 km/h (45mph) protecting the battery in the inside.

The scientists have also developed the manufacturing process chain with cycle times feasible for mass production. The scientists will be presenting the housing at the 2011 Composites Europe Fair in Stuttgart, September 27-29.

[Source & Read More: Physorg ]

Tags: Optimising Materials

System Could Double Range Of Electric Cars

An engineering firm’s breakthrough in hydrogen technology could potentially double the range of electric vehicles.

County Durham-based Inova Power Limited yesterday revealed its breakthrough – a powder that can be used to generate electricity by extracting hydrogen from water. The firm, based at NetPark, near Sedgefield, is now working with Sunderland University’s Institute of Automotive and Manufacturing Advanced Practice (Amap), with funding from development agency One North East, to commercialise the product.

Using a small system in the boot of the car, the powder comes into contact with water and extracts hydrogen, which is converted into electricity, using a fuel cell. Although an electric car would continue to be primarily powered by its battery, the extra electricity would be used to charge it while the vehicle is moving, potentially doubling its range. Range anxiety, with most electric vehicles able to travel about 100 miles between charges, has been identified as a potential barrier to their mass uptake.

[Source & Read More: The Northern Echo]

Sales of Electric Vehicles Offers ‘Huge’ Opportunity in East Asia

Those seeking to create multibillion dollar businesses in electric vehicles, their components, intellectual property and services should look at the world’s largest market – East Asia. This region of the world purchases about 56% of the global market value of electric vehicles for land, sea and air and it will still be doing that in ten years time. For Western companies to take this huge opportunity seriously they first need to slay six myths.

[Source & Read More: EV World]

Silicon Nanopores Pack More Punch Into Batteries

Researchers at Rice University have found a way of using silicon to boost the capacity of lithium-ion batteries by a factor of 10. The discovery could increase the performance of the batteries in everything from laptops to electric vehicles.

The technique provides a more effective way of using silicon as the anode, or negative, side of a lithium-ion battery. Batteries now use graphite anodes, which work well. “But it’s maxed out,” said Michael Wong, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and of chemistry. “You can’t stuff any more lithium into graphite than we already have.”

[Source & Read More: Wired]

Tapan Basu
Senior General Manager
MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA (INDIA)

Snapshot: Leading manufacturer of utility vehicles and light commercial vehicles, including three-wheelers

Jinhan LIU
Chief Engineer – Research Division
DONGFENG COMMERCIAL VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY CENTER – DONGFENG MOTOR (CHINA)

Snapshot: One of the three giant auto makers in China including passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and engine

Andy Chu
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
A123 SYSTEMS (USA)

Snapshot: Developed the battery system for the Eaton’s plug-in hybrid electric trucks

Andy Chu is Vice President, Marketing and Communications at A123 Systems. In this role, he leads A123’s corporate marketing organization and inbound and outbound marketing activities. Since joining A123 in early 2003, he has served in multiple roles, including R&D, manufacturing support, applications engineering, program management, marketing and business development. More recently, he led the proposal team that resulted in a $249M award from the U.S. Department of Energy to support the company’s U.S. battery manufacturing. Prior to joining A123 Systems, he was the Department Manager of the Energy Technologies Department at HRL (formerly Hughes Research Lab.) Andy holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and two engineering Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Michigan.

Sven Bauer
Managing Director
BMZ (GERMANY)

Snapshot: A leading European Battery manufacturer which serves several applications including EVs

Sven Bauer, managing director of the BMZ GmbH is a passionate battery expert who is concentrating on battery and charger technologies for over 17 years. With the establishment of the BMZ Batterien-Montage-Zentrum GmbH in Karlstein he has made his hobby to his profession. The company has progressed with very big success quickly into one of the leading system suppliers of the battery branch in Europe. BMZ develops battery systems with housing, charging technology, communication and supplies this world-wide “just-in-time” with guarantee and desired registration. Since a few years, Sven Bauer gives interesting lectures on the subject battery technologies at BMZ battery forums and developer forums of the power supply branch in Germany and Europe. In 2006 he successfully started to train BMZ customers in accumulator and charging techniques. He also gave lessons at the University of Applied Sciences in Aschaffenburg to the topic “Modern Accumulators” In the beginning of 2008 he has realized a new idea with the establishment of the batteryuniversity.eu GmbH. batteryuniversity.eu has set itself the task of supporting designers and users of batteries and accumulators with broad professional information and individual services for their daily business. The main focus is on UN test procedures for lithium batteries in an own laboratory and the organization of forums and training events. Further key points of batteryuniversity.eu are scientific analyses, consulting, product design, expert advice, as well as the provision of different test equipment and processes for battery manufacturers and users.

Mario Rivaldi
Founder
INDONESIAN ELECTRIC VEHICLE SOCIETY
Managing Director
PT BETRIX (INDONESIA)

Snapshot: First company in Indonesia to develop and market electric two-wheeled vehicles

Education: ITB Institute Technology Bandung Indonesia & University of Manchester UK – specialising in textile for advanced composite materials and management. Sponsored by and worked for Marks & Spencer PLC and Coats Viyella. Received in total of 8 awards and scholarships including from Ford Motor, Draper Company, British Council and University of Manchester. Moved to Shanghai to learn Mandarin in 2001. Returned to Indonesia in the middle of 2003, then started Betrix Indonesia Ltd. LEV company until now.

Rick Woodbury
President & CEO
COMMUTER CARS (USA)

Snapshot: Doubling Lane Capacity With A New EV Concept

Rick is the founder of Commuter Cars and developer of the Tango Narrow Commuter Vehicle. His prior business experience includes the development of two well-regarded publishing-related businesses. He began Dharma Press in the early 1970’s, and in 1987 started Integrated Composition Systems—a book composition and prepress business currently being run by his wife, Alice. The company works with some of the most highly regarded university presses in the country. Woodbury also has extensive sales experience in the luxury automobile industry, including serving as sales manager at Beverly Hills Porsche Audi and general manager of Superior VW, Porsche-Audi and Peugeot in Redding, CA.