For the first time, researchers at Empa have made a detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) or ecobalance of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, in particular the chemically improved (i.e. additional environmentally friendly) version from the ones most frequently utilized in electric vehicles.
The investigation shows that if the energy used to charge the battery is not derived from purely hydroelectric sources, then it is primarily the operation with the electric automobile, which has an environmental impact, precisely as is the case with conventionally fuelled automobiles.
The size with the environmental footprint depends on which sources of energy are applied to "fuel" the e-mobile.
About the other hand, the Li-ion battery itself has a limited impact about the LCA on the electrical automobile.
This is contrary to initial expectations that the manufacture of the batteries could negate the advantages of the electrical drive.
Battery powered electric powered cars are usually promoted as the ideal solution towards challenges of future mobility, since they produce no exhaust gases in operation.
Li-ion batteries have established themselves over competing lead-acid and nickel metal-hydride (NiMH) kinds due to the fact they're lighter and can store a lot more energy.
Li-ion batteries are also basically maintenance-free, display no memory effect (loss of capacity when repeatedly charged after partial discharge), have a low self-discharge rate and are regarded as safe and long-lived.
Researchers at Empa's "Technology and Society Laboratory" decided to discover out if they are also environmentally friendly for sure.
They calculated the ecological footprints of electrical cars fitted with Li-ion batteries, taking into account all possible relevant factors, from those associated with the production of individual parts all the way through to the scrapping of the car as well as the disposal in the remains, including the operation in the car through its lifetime.
The analyze shows that the electric car's Li-ion battery drive is in fact only a moderate environmental burden.
At most only 15 per cent of the total burden might be ascribed on the battery (including its manufacture, maintenance and disposal). Half of this figure, that is about 7.5 per cent in the total environmental burden, occurs in the course of the refining and manufacture of the battery's raw materials, copper and aluminium.
The production from the lithium, in the other hand, is responsible for only 2.3 per cent with the total.
"Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries aren't as poor as previously assumed," said Dominic Notter, coauthor of the study.
The Empa team concluded that a petrol-engined automobile should consume between three and four litres per 100 kilometers (or about 70 mpg) in order to be as environmentally friendly as the e-car studied, powered with Li-ion batteries and charged with a typical European electricity mix.
The study has just been published in the scientific journal "Environmental Science and Technology".
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Toyota to release alarm for quiet Prius hybrid to warn pedestrians
Toyota Motor Corp. is set to release an alarming device for its quiet Prius hybrid car later this month in a bid to warn pedestrians, the business has announced.
There have been some claims that the engine noise of hybrid and electric cars is barely audible for pedestrians to notice approaching vehicles, specially when they're moving at low speeds.
Toyota is going to be the world's initial automaker to launch an accessory to alert pedestrians of approaching vehicles. The alarm system will cost a total of some 20,000 yen, including the installation cost. The new item will become obtainable at Toyota car or truck dealers nationwide from Aug. 30.
The alarm technique produces a fake motor noise from a dedicated speaker attached to the vehicle's engine compartment, which is as loud as that of conventional gasoline cars. The tone becomes higher as the automobile speeds up, but it stops when the driving speed exceeds 25 kilometers per hour. The technique may be switched off by remote control.
The automaker is also planning to release similar warning equipment for other hybrid models. It has yet to choose regardless of whether to pre-install the system to every hybrid model as standard gear.
Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s i-MiEV electric car will also come equipped with an alarm process for pedestrians from this autumn, as well as Nissan Motor's new Fuga hybrid model and Leaf electric vehicle -- both of which are scheduled to hit the market later this year.
Meanwhile, Honda Motor Co. said it will not introduce such a technique, saying, "The engine of our hybrid vehicle is running all the time, so it requires no artificial noise."
There have been some claims that the engine noise of hybrid and electric cars is barely audible for pedestrians to notice approaching vehicles, specially when they're moving at low speeds.
Toyota is going to be the world's initial automaker to launch an accessory to alert pedestrians of approaching vehicles. The alarm system will cost a total of some 20,000 yen, including the installation cost. The new item will become obtainable at Toyota car or truck dealers nationwide from Aug. 30.
The alarm technique produces a fake motor noise from a dedicated speaker attached to the vehicle's engine compartment, which is as loud as that of conventional gasoline cars. The tone becomes higher as the automobile speeds up, but it stops when the driving speed exceeds 25 kilometers per hour. The technique may be switched off by remote control.
The automaker is also planning to release similar warning equipment for other hybrid models. It has yet to choose regardless of whether to pre-install the system to every hybrid model as standard gear.
Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s i-MiEV electric car will also come equipped with an alarm process for pedestrians from this autumn, as well as Nissan Motor's new Fuga hybrid model and Leaf electric vehicle -- both of which are scheduled to hit the market later this year.
Meanwhile, Honda Motor Co. said it will not introduce such a technique, saying, "The engine of our hybrid vehicle is running all the time, so it requires no artificial noise."
Understand your gadget’s batteries
An MP3 player or any portable gadget, including your phone, is pretty useless without power, so naturally electric batteries are very important. There’s a great deal of confusion both with regards to charging the batteries, preserving their maximum ability and maximising the usage per fee. Several on the rules on how to cost batteries are still close to in the old days, where electronics utilized fully diverse forms of power packs, but these have absolutely nothing to do with the reality these days.
Any modern gadget with a rechargeable battery will far more frequently than not have a lithium-based battery in it. Most persons have heard that you require to cost the battery for eight or much more several hours after you get it and leave it alone whilst charging.
The game fully changes when it comes to lithium-based electric batteries. We’re talking a absolutely diverse battery technology, one which has a whole other set of guidelines. For instance, Lithium batteries could be charged anytime, for any amount of time - all night, fine. Five minutes at a time, fine. 10 times a day, go ahead.
There’s no initialisation required, which means that the initial time you demand the battery is no distinct from the 100th time. You don’t need to impose it for an insane amount of several hours, as it'll shut down charging when it’s full anyway. In most cases, absolutely nothing poor will happen, but there’s a chance it will if you fully discharge the battery, specially if it is stored for extended periods of time with no fee.
Battery life varies greatly among different gadgets. The actual battery time you get out of a device depends not only on the ability from the battery, but also how effectively the gadget uses the electrical power. Some quite small MP3 players have rated battery lives inside the neighbourhood of 60 hours, which is a lot much more than larger players, yet they have physically smaller power packs.
The rating listed by the manufacturer is the optimistic version rather than what you most likely will get. Battery life depends on so numerous things that there is no way to know how much you will actually get. For instance, some men and women just can’t quit tinkering with their gadgets, an activity that sucks up your strength.
Unsurprisingly, a battery loses its capacity to hold fee with time and laptop batteries generally serve as a worst-case scenario as they usually lose their ability a good deal faster than anything else. This is due to several factors, like becoming discharged too frequently or getting kept at temperatures as well high. But if your battery is at this level, it is time to obtain a newer gadget or merely replace the battery.
With Lithium electric batteries, the finest thing you can do is absolutely ignore how and whenever you demand them and just be sure you have enough energy after you need to have it.
Lithium power packs are made to serve the user, not the other way around and the “tips and tricks” picked through the old days of other kinds of power packs in fact hurt lithium batteries. Use the device as you want and ensure you have adequate battery energy; don’t let the fear of running out of strength stop you from using it to the fullest.
Any modern gadget with a rechargeable battery will far more frequently than not have a lithium-based battery in it. Most persons have heard that you require to cost the battery for eight or much more several hours after you get it and leave it alone whilst charging.
The game fully changes when it comes to lithium-based electric batteries. We’re talking a absolutely diverse battery technology, one which has a whole other set of guidelines. For instance, Lithium batteries could be charged anytime, for any amount of time - all night, fine. Five minutes at a time, fine. 10 times a day, go ahead.
There’s no initialisation required, which means that the initial time you demand the battery is no distinct from the 100th time. You don’t need to impose it for an insane amount of several hours, as it'll shut down charging when it’s full anyway. In most cases, absolutely nothing poor will happen, but there’s a chance it will if you fully discharge the battery, specially if it is stored for extended periods of time with no fee.
Battery life varies greatly among different gadgets. The actual battery time you get out of a device depends not only on the ability from the battery, but also how effectively the gadget uses the electrical power. Some quite small MP3 players have rated battery lives inside the neighbourhood of 60 hours, which is a lot much more than larger players, yet they have physically smaller power packs.
The rating listed by the manufacturer is the optimistic version rather than what you most likely will get. Battery life depends on so numerous things that there is no way to know how much you will actually get. For instance, some men and women just can’t quit tinkering with their gadgets, an activity that sucks up your strength.
Unsurprisingly, a battery loses its capacity to hold fee with time and laptop batteries generally serve as a worst-case scenario as they usually lose their ability a good deal faster than anything else. This is due to several factors, like becoming discharged too frequently or getting kept at temperatures as well high. But if your battery is at this level, it is time to obtain a newer gadget or merely replace the battery.
With Lithium electric batteries, the finest thing you can do is absolutely ignore how and whenever you demand them and just be sure you have enough energy after you need to have it.
Lithium power packs are made to serve the user, not the other way around and the “tips and tricks” picked through the old days of other kinds of power packs in fact hurt lithium batteries. Use the device as you want and ensure you have adequate battery energy; don’t let the fear of running out of strength stop you from using it to the fullest.
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