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Of course, the batteries themselves differ substantially based upon the type and size of vehicle into which they’re being placed, and the load stress they’re expected to endure. Of course, each battery type, whether Lithium Ion or Nickel Metal Hydride, has its specific uses and its own limitations.
How Electric Car Batteries Work
Electric car batteries are typically designed as either Lithium Ion or Nickel Metal Hydride. Electric cars use either AC or DC motors, and on a DC motor, the battery is expected to run the engine on from 96 to 192 volts. Of course, until carmakers got their production capacity up to speed, many of the DC motors used in their cars were retrofitted from those used in battery powered equipment such as forklifts.
There are AC motors used in electric vehicle battery types, as well. Electric vehicle batteries that use an AC motor are typically three phase and run at 240 volts. Future battery technologies will likely all use an AC system to drive the motors, and they will likely take advantage of regenerative braking principles, as well. Unfortunately, while electric cars don’t require the extensive engine housing and other mechanical parts that internal combustion engines do, the fact remains that the battery packs themselves often exceed 1,000 pounds in weight. That means that the placement of the batteries within the car is extremely important; otherwise, the car may be unbalanced on the road, leading to severely affected handling.
Old lead-acid batteries could hold only enough power to allow the car to drive 25-50 miles, depending on speed and terrain, while newer Nickel Metal Hydride and Lithium Ion batteries allow cars to extend that range up to 200 miles. Additionally, newer battery types charge far more quickly, allowing a faster turnaround time. Unfortunately, the longer-ranged and longer-lived Nickel Metal Hydride and Lithium Ion battery packs are significantly more expensive than their short-ranged counterparts.
Nickel Metal Hydride batteries are, unfortunately, very heavy. They don’t hold their charge well during times when they’re not being used, though they have a very high energy to mass ratio. As such, they can hold a greater amount of energy than other batteries of comparable size. Fuel cell technology, however, may take the problem of long recharge times and hazardous materials cleanup and disposal and turn it into a moot point. Fuel cells are instantly rechargeable, and they don’t require nearly the amount of mass that a large battery does, so a car could be kept lightweight, thus making it even more efficient.
Recharging
Recharging an electric car battery is limited by the circuitry of the charging outlet. For example, an outlet in a typical home has a 15 amp circuit breaker built in, and thus it can only charge at a rate of 1.5 kilowatt-hours for each hour the car is plugged in. Since a battery-powered car typically uses a 15 kilowatt-hour charge cycle, it would take 10 hours for the battery to charge. As an outlet’s voltage and amperage increase, so does the speed at which the outlet can charge the car’s battery.
Fuel Cells
Fuel cell technology is among the most promising new technology that is expected in the next 10 years. Unlike older battery technologies, fuel cells typically use hydrogen in order to produce power. The only byproduct from an electric vehicle battery charged by a fuel cell is water. The battery the electric vehicle is expected to rely upon is far more reliable with a fuel cell in use, since the power levels are easier to predict, and it’s less likely to cause a power surge. Of course, there are a number of fuel cell technologies that currently exist or are expected to be developed in the next few years. Fuel cells are basically a device that converts a chemical reaction, such as hydrogen and oxygen, into water. While a battery requires recharging, since all the required chemicals are stored within the battery, a fuel cell doesn’t die as long as there are fresh chemicals, such as hydrogen, introduced into the cell itself.
PEFMC
Polymer exchange membrane fuel cells, or PEMFC cells, are typically used at a low temperature, which doesn’t require as much time for the cell to begin producing power. While these cells are typically used at 140 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit, they are considered by many to be the most promising type of fuel cell. Road vehicles are most likely to use this technology in the coming years, since the heat required is so much lower than other types.
The polymer exchange membrane fuel cell is the most likely candidate to power light vehicles and public transportation. The PEFMC uses hydrogen in order to produce power to turn a motor that causes the car to move. These fuel cells are extremely efficient and have no byproducts that could be considered harmful. As a result, the majority of fuel cell technology and research money is being poured into this type of fuel cell. Separate cells must be combined in order to provide enough efficiency to make the fuel cell practical, but these fuel cells are still significantly smaller and lighter than other forms of battery technology. Since a single PEFMC fuel cell produces less than one volt, it’s often necessary to include hundreds or even thousands of these fuel cells into stacks so efficiency doesn’t suffer. These fuel cells will use lightweight metals such as graphite and carbon in order to form their bipolar plates, which help produce the power. These electric vehicle battery options will provide a battery electric vehicle with the power to travel hundreds of miles between recharges, and electric vehicle batteries can provide fast, efficient fuel for cars with very little cost for the consumer.
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