According to the researchers, zinc batteries could soon revolutionize electric vehicles. Researcher John Cooper is convinced that the common metal zinc is the future of transportation. “It’s a power source for refuel able electrical vehicles you can use 24/7 if you wish,” Cooper said.
He spent many years at the Lawrence Livermore lab trying to create a fuel cell battery that uses the common metal zinc to produce energy. This natural resource is non-toxic and can be found in huge quantities in different parts of the world, being enough to convert most of the world’s vehicles to electric.
The zinc-air fuel cell has the possibility to be refilled, just like a gas tank, compared to the batteries in hybrid vehicles such as Toyota Prius. A chemical reaction will be released once the pellets are placed in the cell and so the electrons go from one side to the other, generating an electrical charge.
Another great news comes from a Montana company that wants to introduce the zinc battery into the market. Zinc Air Vice President Craig Wilkins plans to develop a system for low power delivery vehicles in the next two years. “I think the intent is to put it into usable market as quickly as possible and scale the battery so we can use it in fleet vehicles, like the Postal Service,” he said.
[via ABClocal]
