Eco Factor: New material promises to power hybrids and EVs without any additional batteries.
Hybrids and electric vehicles of today need heavy battery packs to generate power for their onboard motors, which does degrade the efficiency of the vehicle. Researchers at the Imperial College of London are developing materials that can store and discharge electric current just as a conventional battery does, but also serve as the bodywork of the car.
The researchers are working on the idea as a part of a €3.4 million 3-year European Union-funded project that involves car manufacturer Volvo as well. The prototype material is a composite of carbon fibers and a polymer resin, which is strong and can discharge large amounts of energy much faster than conventional batteries.
Researchers are now working to develop the composite in order to store more energy, which may be achieved by growing carbon nanotubes on the surface of the carbon fibers, which will increase the surface area for storage. In addition to cars, the technology offers new hope for paper-thin cellphones that don’t need batteries and laptops that can be powered by their own casing.
Via: Gizmag
