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Solid-state battery developed at CU-Boulder could double the range of electric cars

September 19, 2013 in Battery Energy Storage, Electric Vehicles, EV News

Professor Alan Weimer (back row, fifth from left) is shown with his 2013 CU-Boulder research group that involves postdoctoral researchers, research professionals, graduate students and undergraduates who make up the largest academic solar-thermal chemistry team in United States. (Image courtesy University of Colorado)

Professor Alan Weimer (back row, fifth from left) is shown with his 2013 CU-Boulder research group that involves postdoctoral researchers, research professionals, graduate students and undergraduates who make up the largest academic solar-thermal chemistry team in United States. (Image courtesy University of Colorado)

A cutting-edge battery technology developed at the University of Colorado Boulder that could allow tomorrow’s electric vehicles to travel twice as far on a charge is now closer to becoming a commercial reality.

CU’s Technology Transfer Office has completed an agreement with Solid Power LLC—a CU-Boulder spinoff company founded by Se-Hee Lee and Conrad Stoldt, both associate professors of mechanical engineering—for the development and commercialization of an innovative solid-state rechargeable battery. Solid Power also was recently awarded a $3.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy for the purpose of creating a battery that can improve electric vehicle driving range.

The rechargeable batteries that are standard in today’s electric vehicles—as well as in a host of consumer electronics, such as mobile phones and laptops—are lithium-ion batteries, which generate electricity when lithium ions move back and forth between electrodes in a liquid electrolyte solution.

Engineers and chemists have long known that using lithium metal as the anode in a rechargeable battery—as opposed to the conventional carbon materials that are used as the anode in conventional lithium-ion batteries—can dramatically increase its energy density. But using lithium metal, a highly reactive solid, in conjunction with a liquid electrolyte is extremely hazardous because it increases the chance of a thermal runaway reaction that can result in a fire or an explosion.

Today’s lithium-ion batteries require a bulky amount of devices to protect and cool the batteries. A fire onboard a Boeing Dreamliner in January that temporarily grounded the new class of plane was linked to its onboard lithium-ion battery.

Lee and Stoldt solved the safety concerns around using lithium metal by eliminating the liquid electrolyte. Instead, the pair built an entirely solid-state battery that uses a ceramic electrolyte to separate the lithium metal anode from the cathode. Because the solid-state battery is far safer, it requires less protective packaging, which in turn could reduce the weight of the battery system in electric vehicles and help extend their range.

Research into the development of solid-state batteries has gone on for a couple of decades, but it has been difficult to create a solid electrolyte that allowed the ions to pass through it as easily as a liquid electrolyte.

“The problem has always been that solid electrolytes had very poor performance making their use in rechargeable batteries impractical,” Stoldt said. “However, the last decade has seen a resurgence in the development of new solid electrolytes with ionic conductivities that rival their liquid counterparts.”

The critical innovation added by Lee and Stoldt that allows their solid-state lithium battery to out-perform standard lithium-ion batteries is the construction of the cathode, the part of the battery that attracts the positively charged lithium ions once they’re discharged from the lithium metal. Instead of using a solid mass of material, Lee and Stoldt created a “composite cathode,” essentially small particles of cathode material held together with solid electrolyte and infused with an additive that increases its electrical conductivity. This configuration allows ions and electrons to move more easily within the cathode.

“The real innovation is an all-solid composite cathode that is based upon an iron-sulfur chemistry that we developed at CU,” Stoldt said. “This new, low-cost chemistry has a capacity that’s nearly 10 times greater than state-of-the-art cathodes.”

Last year, Lee and Stoldt partnered with Douglas Campbell, a small-business and early-stage product development veteran, to spin out Solid Power.

“We’re very excited about the opportunity to achieve commercial success for the all solid-state rechargeable battery,” said Campbell, Solid Power’s president. “We’re actively engaging industrial commercial partners to assist in commercialization and expect to have prototype products ready for in-field testing within 18 to 24 months.” Important to the early success of the company has been its incubation within CU-Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science’s applied energy storage research center, a part of the college’s energy systems and environmental sustainability initiative.

Solid Power is a member of Rocky Mountain Innosphere, a nonprofit technology incubator headquartered in Fort Collins, Colo., with a mission to accelerate the development and success of high-impact scientific and technology startup companies.

“We’re very excited to be working with Solid Power’s team to get them to the next level,” said Mike Freeman, Innosphere’s CEO. “This is a big deal to Colorado’s clean-tech space. Solid Power’s batteries will have a huge impact in the EV market, and they have a potential $20 billion market for their technology.”

Learn more about Solid Power at http://www.solidpowerbattery.com.

This article is a repost (release 9-18-13), credit: University of Colorado.

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BYD 3.5T Electric Forklift Rolls off Assembly Line Broaden the Scope of Large-Tonnage Electric Forklift Industry

August 6, 2013 in BYD, Electric Utility Vehicles, Electric Vehicles, EV News

Photo courtesy of BYD

Photo courtesy of BYD

On August 2, BYD Shaoguan Industrial Park held a grand opening event, displaying its assembly line of the world’s first iron battery-powered BYD new energy 3.5T electric forklift. The event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Shaoguan Municipal Party Secretary Zheng Zhentao, Mayor Yi Xuefeng, BYD president Wang Chuanfu, senior vice president Wang Nianqiang and various representatives from government and professional media were present at the event. Wang pointed out that the new energy forklift truck industry will be the future of forklift development. He stressed that the BYD forklift will not only be an innovation as a technology and as a product but will also pave the way for an innovative market.

The New Energy forklift truck will lead the future development of the forklift industry.

Currently, the petrochemical resources that humans depend on are depleting. As well, its extensive use towards urban development causes mass pollution in densely-populated cities. An example was when Beijing and Tianjin experienced severe smog earlier this spring. These problems indicate that environmental protection is unable to be delayed any longer. As the environmental factors become more severe, people’s awareness of protecting the environment becomes more and more prevalent. A product, especially a forklift, which advocates low-carbon and the saving of energy, is attractive to clients. BYD’s iron battery-powered forklift is the world’s first of its kind, producing zero emissions. It has a long life, a high change/discharge rate and is virtually maintenance-free. Compared to the conventional internal combustion forklifts and lead acid battery forklift, the BYD iron battery production process releases no heavy metal pollution or emissions. The charging process does not product acid fog. After the one life cycle, the battery can be recovered for energy storage, making it a true green product that effectively overcomes the manufacturing of lead-acid batteries. BYD’s iron battery is perfect for usage in pharmaceuticals, cold chain, food, and settings such as airports where eco-friendly approaches are necessary.

BYD 3.5T electric forklift broaden the scope of electric forklift industry.

It is reported that the 3.5T forklift truck accounted for approximately a full share of more than 50% in domestic market, while internal combustion forklifts had a full share of close to 80% in 3.5T category. Traditional lead-acid batteries are mainly manufactured for smaller 2.0T forklifts since lead-acid batteries cannot be used for heavy-duty, high-efficiency products. The 3.5T electric forklift market holds a “there is a demand but no product” dilemma. Having quickly achieved the global market with its own technology and industrial advantages, BYD utilizes vertical integration on the basis of integrated innovation. BYD successfully developed its “iron battery” technology applicable to the large-tonnage electric forklift field, being the first to break the large-tonnage electric forklift development bottle neck. The launch of the BYD 3.5T electric forklift greatly broadened the scope of the application of electric forklifts and will provide the logistics of the large-tonnage electric forklift industry with effective solutions.

About BYD

BYD Co., Ltd is a leading-edge provider of green energy technologies that specializes in the IT, automotive, and new energy industries. Being the world’s biggest rechargeable battery manufacturer, BYD also has the largest global market share for cell-phone chargers and keypads. BYD branched out into the auto business in 2003, and has kept a robust yearly growth rate successively. In 2008, Warren Buffett invested $232 million to take a 9.89% stake in BYD. Today, BYD is the fastest-growing Chinese auto company and a global pioneer in the field of new energy vehicles including Dual Mode Electric Models and Pure Electric Models.

Based on its core Fe Battery technology, BYD has worked out a Green City Solution, which aims to electrify urban public transportation systems by transitioning from gasoline and diesel buses and taxis to pure electric ones. In March 2012, BYD and Daimler AG officially announced the entirely new EV brand Denza in China.

In addition, BYD has also focused on the Research & Development and manufacturing of a wide range of new energy products, including energy storage system, solar energy products and LED lighting . For more information, please visit www.byd.com, www.bydeurope.com, www.facebook.com/bydcompany, or [email protected].

This article is a repost, credit: BYD, http://www.byd.com/na/news/news-170.html.