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Study links carbon fiber microstructure to Li insertion mechanism in structural batteries

Green Car Congress

Carbon fibers have already beeen demonstrated as high-capacity Li-ion battery anodes, opening the way for their use as structural electrodes—i.e., simultaneously carrying mechanical load and storing electrical energy. There is therefore some potential here for carbon fiber manufacturers to extend their utilisation.

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Volvo Car Group testing lightweight structural energy storage material applied in trunk lid and plenum cover

Green Car Congress

A composite blend of carbon fibers and polymer resin is being developed that can store and charge more energy faster than conventional batteries can. The material combines carbon fibers and a polymer resin, creating a very advanced nanomaterial, and structural supercapacitors. Click to enlarge.

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Ricardo TorqStor flywheel energy storage technology receives SAE 2014 World Congress Tech Award

Green Car Congress

Ricardo’s TorqStor high speed flywheel energy storage technology ( earlier post ) has been selected to receive the SAE Tech Award, as one of the top five technologies to be on display at the SAE World Congress 8-10 at the COBO Center, Detroit. Ricardo’s TorqStor. Click to enlarge.

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Cornell team develops aluminum-anode batteries with up to 10,000 cycles

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Friend Family Distinguished Professor of Engineering, have been exploring the use of low-cost materials to create rechargeable batteries that will make energy storage more affordable. A paper on the work is published in Nature Energy. This magnified image shows aluminum deposited on carbon fibers in a battery electrode.

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End of production for BMW i3; 250,000 units over 8 and a half years

Green Car Congress

The BMW i3’s independent vehicle architecture consists of a drive module as an aluminum chassis, which carries the e-drive, the suspension and the high-voltage battery as well as a passenger cell made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) called the life module. The BMW Group plant in Leipzig also has such an energy storage farm.

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European Researchers Developing Multifunctional Structural Composite Material That Can Double as Energy Storage

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Researchers from Imperial College London and their European partners, including Volvo Car Corporation, are developing a prototype multifunctional structural composite material composed of carbon fibers and a polymer resin which can store and discharge electrical energy and which is also strong and lightweight enough to be used for car parts.

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MHI to supply 2 electric buses featuring MLIX Li-ion batteries for Kitakyushu City

Green Car Congress

In combination with a lighter body enabled by the partial adoption of carbon fiber construction, the new buses will be able to operate continuously over increased distances—up to 80 kilometers (50 miles) on a full charge, at a top speed of 85 km/h (53 mph).

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