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Argonne Is Designing the Car Batteries of the Future

April 29, 2011 in Green Auto News, Sponsor Post by ggguestuser | No comments

In order to meet President Obama’s ambitious goal of one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015, today’s electric vehicles will need to be improved substantially. Batteries, many experts agree, are the component of electric cars that are holding most consumers back. Despite more than two centuries of battery innovation, today’s car batteries remain costly and inefficient compared to other consumer options.

That’s why researchers at Argonne National Laboratory are experimenting with various changes to battery designs. Replacing lithium cathodes with mixes of cobalt, manganese or nickel could boost the energy capacity of car batteries by 100%. Argonne is also working with silicone anodes (as opposed to conventional carbon anodes) in an effort to increase the charge a battery can hold.A row of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) battery cells. Photo: Argonne National Laboratory

A row of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) battery cells. Photo: Argonne National Laboratory

The partnership between Argonne and EcoCAR is helping to make electric and other alternative-fuel vehicles a reality. Argonne even installed several charging stations on its campus recently to encourage the use of electric vehicles. As Argonne experiments with new technologies like redesigned batteries and charging stations, the EcoCAR teams have implemented cutting-edge technologies into their vehicles!

Click here to read a recent article from The New York Times about Argonne’s battery research.

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The ABC’s and 1-2-3’s of Battery Systems

September 22, 2009 in Sponsor Post by ggguest | No comments

A123Systems LogoHow do EcoCAR teams learn the ABC’s and 1-2-3’s of advanced battery systems? Energy storage experts from A123Systems Energy Solutions Group will host a training session for EcoCAR teams at their facilities in Hopkington, Massachusetts during the upcoming EcoCAR Fall Workshop in September.

A123Systems is a Platinum Sponsor of the EcoCAR Challenge, providing advance lithium battery modules to 14 of the 17 universities. In the first academic year of EcoCAR these 14 EcoCAR teams were challenged to design their own custom battery pack using the A123Systems modules and battery management system. In Year 2, kicking off this September, teams will receive the A123Systems battery modules they will use to build and integrate their battery pack into their competition vehicle. In preparation for this monumental task, A123Systems is hosting a session during the Fall workshop to give EcoCAR teams a first-hand look at the battery system’s components and an opportunity to tour the battery manufacturing facilities.
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MotorWeek Talks with Argonne About Clean Power Sources

September 8, 2009 in Video Blogs by sbauman | No comments

This video is currently the “Video of the Month” on the website for the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy: Vehicle Technologies Program. The video, courtesy of MotorWeek, spotlights the folks from DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory to learn what it takes to make clean power sources viable.

Click here to learn more about the Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago.

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Clean, Green Automotive News You Should Know

September 2, 2009 in Green Auto News by sbauman | No comments

Over the past 30 days, we’ve seen some important news that’s relevant to the future of clean automobiles. We thought it was worth sharing two recent announcements with our readers:

Secretary Chu Announces Nearly $300 Million in Clean Cities Grants to Support Clean Fuels, Vehicles, and Infrastructure Development — Secretary Steven Chu announced the selection of 25 cost-share projects under the Clean Cities program that will be funded with nearly $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. According to the press release, these projects will speed the transformation of the nation’s vehicle fleet, putting more than 9,000 alternative fuel and energy efficient vehicles on the road, and establishing 542 refueling locations across the country. The Department of Energy also estimates they will help displace approximately 38 million gallons of petroleum per year. READ RELEASE HERE

President Obama Announces $2.4 Billion in Grants to Accelerate the Manufacturing and Deployment of the Next Generation of U.S. Batteries and Electric Vehicles — President Obama announced 48 new advanced battery and electric-drive projects that will receive $2.4 billion in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects, selected through a highly competitive process by the Department of Energy, will accelerate the development of U.S. manufacturing capacity for batteries and electric drive components as well as the deployment of electric drive vehicles, helping to establish American leadership in creating the next generation of advanced vehicles. READ RELEASE HERE

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