ADVANCED BATTERIES FOR VEHICLE PROPULSION

The development of batteries for electric vehicles, performance goals for these batteries, and the strategy being followed in the United States to promote commercialization of electric vehicles are discussed. Intensive battery development is underway in the U.S. and other countries to reduce the consumption of petroleum by shifting the energy source to coal and nuclear power. Through the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development and Demonstration Act of 1976, the U.S. has authorized a large research and development program on battery and electric vehicle technologies and a demonstration program designed to promote the commercialization of electric vehicles. The existing lead-acid battery does not have sufficiently high performance, in terms of vehicle range, to attract a large market. Near-term research is aimed at improving the lead-acid battery and developing iron-nickel oxide and zinc-nickel oxide batteries. One of these is expected to advance sufficiently to achieve commercialization and capture the near-term market. Advanced batteries such as lithium-aluminum/iron sulfide, sodium/sulfur, and zinc/chlorine promise much higher performance than any near-term battery, vehicle ranges approaching 200 miles with the speed, acceleration and hill-climbing capabilities of gasoline-powered vehicles. Market penetration through the early stages of commercialization may be through limited markets of submarines, postal vans, buses, and mining vehicles. Batteries for vehicle propulsion purposes are not likely to find application in earthmoving or large farming equipment.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01487191
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at SAE Earthmoving Industry Conference, Peoria, Illinois, 10-12 April 1978.
• Corporate Authors:

  Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

  400 Commonwealth Drive
  Warrendale, PA  United States  15096
• Authors:
  • Burris, L
  • Nelson, P A
• Publication Date: 1978

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 12 p.
• Serial:
  • SAE Technical Paper
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
  • ISSN: 0148-7191
  • EISSN: 2688-3627
  • Serial URL: http://papers.sae.org/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Development; Electric batteries; Electric vehicles; Iron compounds; Lithium sulfur batteries; Marketing; Nickel iron batteries; Nickel zinc batteries; Research; Sodium sulfur batteries; Zinc chloride batteries
• Uncontrolled Terms: Research and development
• Subject Areas: Energy; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00395887
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: SAE 780458, HS-025 501U
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 31 1985 12:00AM