![Basic Construction of the Phinergy Aluminum-Air [AlO2] Battery Cell, Just Add Water](https://i0.wp.com/www.greenoptimistic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Battry2v4.jpg?resize=300%2C182&ssl=1)
We all know the arguments against electric vehicles, “Unless you spend $100,000, you can’t get any decent range out of an electric vehicle,” or “Electric vehicles take too long to charge.” A new AlO2 battery pack designed by Phinergy makes use of recycled aluminum plates, each of which has enough energy to give 20 miles range to their testbed electric vehicle.
The 50-plate aluminum-air battery weighs just 55 pounds and has a range of some 200 miles on a single tank of water. Compare this to the battery pack in the Tesla Model S, which weighs 600 pounds and has a range of up to 300 miles on a single charge.
Phinergy’s aluminum-air battery is made of recycled aluminum, which is cheap and can be re-recycled once it wears out. Another benefit of this particular version of AlO2 battery technology is the recharging method, simply fill with water every 200mi. The light weight and high energy density, 8kWh/kg, far outweighs that of current lithium-ion [Li-ion] technology rated at a maximum of 0.26kWh/kg. Phinergy estimates that their proprietary AlO2 battery technology could be commercialized in electric vehicles as soon as 2017.
Phinergy
is doing the right thing. Aluminium air batteries are the next power source for
EVs (http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14442338).
This is known by only a few other companies worldwide and investors are rapidly
moving into this sector (http://investing.businessweek.com/research/markets/news/article.asp?docKey=600-201303201231M2______EUPR_____0a7a000000c5f4d8_3600-1)
but only one has cracked the chemistry to allow ordinary aluminium to be used
in an affordable, safe EV (http://www.metalectrique.co.uk/about-us).This has been around for a number of years
but lobbying has prevented it from gaining government support in Europe (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IEmrQzch2E).
The announcements from Phinergy and Metalectrique this week are a sign that we’re
finally moving into an electric future on the road.
@Trevor Jackson Thanks for the great links! I hope to see this technology ‘hit the road’ soon!