Watching car adverts today, it is impossible not to see the wider offering of alternative energy vehicles available. The electric car and the hybrid are becoming more popular as the technology advances to make them more appealing to consumers. Manufacturers at the head of the electric car market include Renault, Nissan, Tesla and BMW, whilst Volkswagen, Kia and Smart all have electric vehicles available.
Battery technology is advancing, and the range that can be achieved from a single charge is edging up gradually, with some now achieving over 150 miles per charge. As many people will see electric cars as their household’s secondary vehicle, this is less of an issue than it used to be. Charging times currently vary between three and ten hours using a standard home electricity source.
Battery Options
In terms of batteries, manufacturers of electric vehicles have identified three different types of rechargeable battery that can be used: nickel metal hydride (NIMH), lead-acid and lithium-ion (Li-ion).
Nickel metal hydride batteries have been around since the 1980s and have a high energy density. They do not contain toxic metals, so are easily recycled. The batteries that are not able to be recycled and all the other parts of cars get dumped in a large open field and left for years. Although some people will use Demolition Companies Birmingham services to destroy the bits into smaller pieces.
Lead-acid batteries are the oldest type of rechargeable battery that is still used. They are cheap to produce but do produce dangerous gases when in use.
Lithium-ion batteries are the most recent of the three and are widely used in electronic devices such as laptops and mobiles. This sort of battery is favoured by the majority of manufacturers and is likely to continue to be the most commonly used in the future.
The Future
For an in-depth look at the future of electric car batteries, take a look at this report by The Boston Consulting Group.
If you are looking for an electric battery for your racing car, whether it’s for a power source or purely when starting your engine, to see the range of batteries available. The Odyssey PC680 battery is one of the most popular and well-regarded batteries available and is used in many competition cars (up to 2.5 litres).
It is predicted that 1.8 billion vehicles will be on the road by 2040. An estimated 10 percent of those will be electric cars. What is likely is that petrol demand will remain steady for a while yet.
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