A hybrid electric test vehicle equipped with a CSIRO UltraBattery system recently passed 100,000 miles (161,000 Km) on the test track. The UltraBattery combines an asymmetric super-capacitor and a Lead Acid Battery in a single unit, creating a hybrid car battery that lasts longer, costs less and is more powerful than current technologies used in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).
In comparison to conventional Valve-Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries, the UltraBattery shows superior input and output power through a wide state of charge (SOC) range and partial state of charge (PSOC) life. The UltraBattery has a life cycle that is at least four times longer and produces 50 per cent more power than conventional battery systems. It’s also about 70 per cent cheaper than the batteries currently used in HEVs.
The UltraBattery also has the ability to provide and absorb charge rapidly during vehicle acceleration and braking, making it particularly suitable for HEVs, which rely on the electric motor to meet peak power needs during acceleration and can recapture energy normally wasted through braking to recharge the battery.
Via: Instablogs / Scientific Blogging
