Prospect of advanced lead-acid, nickel/iron and nickel/zinc batteries for electric vehicle applications
Major progress has been achieved in the lead-acid, nickel/iron and nickel/zinc battery technology development since the initiation of the Near-Term EV Battery Project in 1978. Against the specific energy goal of 56 Wh/kg the demonstrated specific energies are 41 Wh/kg for the improved lead-acid batteries, 48 Wh/kg for the improved nickel/iron batteries, and 68 Wh/kg for the improved nickel/zinc batteries. These specific energy values would allow an ETV-1 vehicle to have an urban range of 80 miles in the case of the improved lead-acid batteries, 96 miles for the improved nickel/iron batteries, and 138 miles for the improved nickel/zinc batteries. All represent a significant improvement over the state-of-the-art lead-acid battery capability of about 30 Wh/kg with approximately a 51 mile urban range for the ETV-1 vehicle. The project goal for specific power of 104 W/kg for 30 seconds at a 50% depth of discharge has been achieved for all of the technologies with the improved lead-acid demonstrating 111 W/kg, the improved nickel/iron demonstrating 103 W/kg and the improved nickel/zinc demonstrating 131 W/kg. Again this is a significant improvement over the state-of-the-art lead-acid battery capability of 70 W/kg. Substantial progress has been made against the life cycle goal of 800 cycles as evidenced by the demonstrated lead-acid battery achievement of >295 cycles in ongoing tests, the nickel/iron demonstrated capability of >515 cycles in ongoing tests, and the nickel/zinc demonstrated capability of 179 cycles. Except for the nickel/zinc batteries, the demonstrated cycle life is better than the state-of-the-art lead-acid battery cycle life of about 250 cycles. Future program emphases will be on improving cycle life and further reductions in cost.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6458599
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-810812-56; ON: DE83009638
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 16. intersociety energy conversion engineering conference (IECEC), Atlanta, GA, USA, 9 Aug 1981; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
DOE's near-term electric vehicle battery program. Status of improved lead-acid, nickel/iron, and nickel/zinc battery developments
Development of near-term batteries for electric vehicles. Summary report, October 1977-September 1979
Related Subjects
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
IRON-NICKEL BATTERIES
LEAD-ACID BATTERIES
NICKEL-ZINC BATTERIES
PERFORMANCE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ENERGY DENSITY
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
METAL-METAL OXIDE BATTERIES
VEHICLES
250903* - Energy Storage- Batteries- Materials
Components
& Auxiliaries
330300 - Advanced Propulsion Systems- Electric-Powered Systems