SET4QWC
- Cars
Power Struggle
The battery that will power the Chevrolet Volt weighs approximately 400 pounds and, stood on end, reaches a height of six feet. The $10,000-plus, T-shaped monolith contains 300 individual three-volt lithium-ion cells, bundled together in groups of three, then wired in series and kept from overheating by an elaborate liquid cooling mechanism.
11.2.2008 at 02:10am - Comment by SET4QWCAgree about lack of competition and lack of comparisons listed in this article - no context given - just a list of names, no specifics and mostly a GM tech-ad-vertisement. Poor job popsci. The article should have been titled "Power Struggle GM style" Maybe popsci needs to review buyers guides like the new Plug-in Electric/Hybrid Buyers guide to see what consumers can order today from http://update-electric-cars-today.com
- Cars
What Comes After Batteries?
Thanks in part to the inherent awesomeness of the word itself, it seems everyone is talking about ultracapacitors. Ultracapacitors store energy in an electrical field between two plates. They can charge faster than batteries, emit powerful pulses of electricity, and last almost indefinitely. Several companies make them, but the most hyped by far is EEStor. EEStor's ultracapacitors are set to power the ZENN City Car, an electric car with a 250-mile range that's supposed to arrive next year.
11.2.2008 at 02:02am - Comment by SET4QWCGreat comments. Caps and Battery combos are the only power source that really works in practice from what we have seen in the labs - caps help the BMS protect the batteries from high current short duration demands. The application of EEStor and or it's competitors to real car applications is the only thing that matters. Check out the new Plug-in Electric Car Guide and it's upcoming update editions to see who is real using this technology. Guide can be found at http://electric-cars-today.com
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December 2009: Best of What's New
In our December issue, Popular Science names the 100 best innovations of the year: bombproof wallpaper, self-parking cars, the fastest helicopter, and 97 more. Plus inventor profiles and videos.
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