TWO FOR THE ROAD

THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF ELECTRIC CARS CALLING FOR INTENSIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IS A HIGH- ENERGY, HIGH-POWER-DENSITY BATTERY. DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH A LOW-COST, PRACTICAL BATTERY WILL MAKE THESE CARS COMPETITIVE IN DRIVING RANGE AND PERFORMANCE WITH HEAT- ENGINE CARS. NONE OF THE CONVENTIONAL RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES, HOWEVER, APPROACHES THE SPECIFIC ENERGY AND POWER REQUIREMENTS OF A HIGH-PERFORMANCE ELECTRIC CAR. THE ONLY BATTERIES UNDER DEVELOPMENT THAT SHOW PROMISE OF MEETING THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE THOSE THAT OPERATE AT TEMPERATURES ABOVE 300 C. CELLS IN THESE HIGH- TEMPERATURE BATTERIES CONSIST OF A LITHIUM OR SODIUM ANODE OF LOW ELECTRO-NEGAVITY, LOW EQUIVALENT WEIGHT, AND HIGH EXCHANGE-CURRENT DENSITY; AN IONICALLY CONDUCTIVE MOLTEN SALT OR SOLID CERAMIC ELECTROLYTE; AND A CHALCOGEN OR HALOGEN CATHODE OF HIGH ELECTRONEGATIVY, MODERATE TO LOW EQUIVALENT WEIGHT, AND HIGH EXCHANGE-CURRENT DENSITY. THESE SYSTEMS ARE SURVEYED, AND THE PROMISE OF TWO OF THEM---THE SODIUM--SULFUR AND LITHIUM--SULFUR BATTERIES---ARE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00189235
• Authors:
  • SALIHI, J T
• Publication Date: 1972-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 43-7
• Serial:
  • IEEE Spectrum
  • Volume: 9
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
  • ISSN: 0018-9235

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Electric automobiles; Electric batteries; High temperature; Lithium; Sodium; Sulfur
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00223907
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 7 1973 12:00AM