Will Laptop Batteries Provide Juice For VW’s Electric Cars?
Its Electronics Research Laboratory (earl) in Palo Alto, Calif., Volkswagen is researching the possible use of lithium-Ion batteries used in consumer products such as laptop computers. That's right. Tesla's controversial battery system consisting of about 7000 cells were treated by VW.
In fact, Martin Eberhard, founder and former CEO of Tesla Motors, began working with earl in January in order to "bring her Silicon Valley Ev perspective Electronics Research Laboratory," said earl's Dr. Burkhard Huhnke during a gathering of media last week Palo Alto.
Eberhard stated that he spent eight years convincing people consumer lithium-Ion cells is a good idea for electric cars. Defined by its industry terms "18 650 cells" (it measures 18 millimeters by 65 millimeters), said the cells are ideally suited for vehicles because they can take advantage of all available space would otherwise not used.
Eberhard continued by outlining benefits to 18,650 cell's: This is the highest energy density, giving the longest driving range, decades of experience with this type of battery, absolutely the lowest price per kilowatt hour; chemistry every available at 18,650, and the newest innovations batteries go in the first cell. Eberhard declined to get specific about lithium chemistry to play with VW.
"When translated into a battery system for a vehicle, the cells are a safe battery system because we can reduce and absorb the energy released in a fire," Eberhard said. (Yes, he used the word fire). "It is a reliable battery system because the battery is completely redundant. If you lose one cell to a car, you lose a fraction of a percent of stored energy. "
The project team is evaluating battery earl 18 650 applications include cell for Audi E-Tron and E-Golf and they are performing court and in-car test. It is emphasized that their work is strictly research and this is only one battery is evaluating alternatives the automaker. By Eberhard of Huhnke would comment that where two, or both, of the vehicle is undergoing in-vehicle tests.
Small is Big Scale cell?
As for the future, will use 18 650 Volkswagen cell battery packs in hybrid or electric cars? Appear that a decision has not been made, Eberhard but presents many convincing reasons why it is worth considering.
However, even Volkswagen prospect of using mobile commerce will raise eyebrows. For example, Darryl Siry, Tesla's former marketing chief, wonders why any large, well-capitalized companies are busy manufacturing complexity such a strategy. "I do not understand the upside, you are provided with capital and ability to jointly develop custom large format cells, like the big guys do," Siry wrote an email to PluginCars.com.
Siry believe we should keep an eye on the way Toyota RAV4 Ev developing-but you do not see the use of 18 650 cells getting any program adopted in high volume production by a major carmaker. "It made perfect sense for Tesla as a startup, because they have no choice but to create jobs. They have no alternative."