Alternate Route

Sep 14, 2009 - Limiting Factor

Sept. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp., the biggest seller of hybrid cars, is sticking with nickel as the preferred battery material for most of the vehicles after three years of secretly testing Prius hatchbacks with lithium-ion packs.

The tests appear to be among the most thorough done by companies planning to introduce the batteries, said Menahem Anderman, president of consulting firm Advanced Automotive Batteries in Oregon House, California.

“We now know that a lithium-ion battery can work; that’s not really the question,” he said. “Cost is critical, and we still don’t know enough about long-term durability.”

How about a show of hands for those who think EV's are going to be all over the roads tomorrow? Or even in 10 years?  EV's may indeed be the future, but until the breakthrough in battery technology happens, I wouldn't give up that gasoline credit card just yet.

3:01 am | Categories: electric vehicles Permalink | Alert Administrator

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