ELECTRIC VEHICLE PROPULSION BATTERIES: DESIGN AND COST STUDY FOR NICKEL/ZINC BATTERY MANUFACTURE. TASK A

For satisfying the 25-kWh energy requirement necessary for vehicle propulsion, a 700-pound nickel--zinc battery was configured. Containing 64 individual cells, the unit was selected for minimum weight from computed packaging possibilities. Unit volume was projected to be 4.77 cubic feet. Capacity of the cells delivering 100+ volts was set at 245 ampere-hours. Selection was made primarily because of the compatibility with expressed vehicle requirements of a lower-current system. Manufacturing costs were computed for a unit using sintered positive electrodes at $86/kWh, pilot plant rate, and $78/kWh, production plant rate. Based on a lower than anticipated cost differential between sintered and nonsintered positive electrodes and certain other performance differences, the sintered electrode was chosen for the battery design. Capital expenditures for a production rate of 10,000 batteries per year are estimated to be $2,316,500. Capital expenditure for demonstrating production rates in a pilot plant facility is approximately $280,000, with the use of some shared available equipment.

• Corporate Authors:

  Eagle-Picher Industries, Incorporated

  Couples Department
  Joplin, MO  United States  64801

  Energy Research and Development Administration

  20 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Publication Date: 1977

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 85 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Analysis; Costs; Design; Electric vehicles; Electrodes; Energy; Manufacturing; Materials adaptation and use; Nickel; Nickel zinc batteries; Productivity; Sintering; Storage batteries; Testing; Zinc
• Uncontrolled Terms: Cost analysis
• Old TRIS Terms: Sintered materials
• Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Energy; Finance; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00169483
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Contract Numbers: W-31-109-ENG-38
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 14 1978 12:00AM