Can we build a better battery with lithium?
While lead acid batteries have energized electric cars for most of the motoring age and nickel metal hydrides (NiMH) have helped hybrids return high gas mileage numbers more recently, the future seems to securely belong to lithium batteries for both applications. With all that's riding on this technology, can it really fulfill its green promises? Of the dozens of electric vehicle announcements have been made over the past few years, practically all of them have named lithium ion batteries as their energy storage solution of choice. Indeed, lithium ion batteries power the best-known electric car on the road today, the Tesla Roadster. But, with reports of lithium-powered laptop fires and the press ponderings on the possibility of "peak-lithium," it hasn't all been smooth sailing. Is there hope beyond the hype or is there, perhaps, a different energy storage around the corner? Hit the jump and we'll investigate the possibilities. 
Gallery: Tesla smart mule and battery
To begin, you should know that not all lithium-containing batteries are alike. Although they consist of mainly three different components; an anode (where the electric charge flows in), a cathode (where the charge flows out) and an electrolyte (what the charge flows through), the materials that these parts consist of gives a battery its particular characteristics. It would be wonderful if one formulation had all the qualities needed, but so far the perfect combination hasn't been created. There always seems to be some trade offs between energy density (the amount of energy that can be stored), power density (the ability to discharge and charge energy quickly), longevity (both age and the number of cycles that it can be charged and discharged), effective temperature range and, probably most importantly, price. On one end of the spectrum, Altairnano Technologies uses a nano-structured lithium titanate spinel oxide (Li4Ti5O12) anode that can charge and discharge rapidly, has great longevity, good temperature range but is not very energy dense and on the expensive side. Meanwhile the more standard laptop-type battery used by Tesla is cheaper and holds a lot more energy but can not be charged as quickly, has much less longevity and needs a sophisticated management system to control the temperature and monitor all the individual cells.
The A123 Systems batteries for Chrysler's electric vehicles, with their lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) anodes, are somewhere in the middle, with a decent longevity, decent power density, so-so energy density and moderate (comparatively) price. Kokam, who have been tapped to supply Smith Electric Vehicles US, throws a bit of a curve into this mix by using a lithium polymer battery that uses a solid electrolyte unlike the organic composition of the others. Check out the video below to see how lithium polymer batteries are made.
While we can't say that lithium batteries will be the final best solution for electric vehicles, it is clear that they are good enough now to begin using for some applications. The technology is still quite young and continues to improve steadily and more research is being done as it becomes increasingly clear that our current carbon fuel paradigm has to begin changing. In fact, some research efforts could produce lithium-based energy storage that could power a car for over a thousand miles before needing to plug in again.
Other questions about lithium that seem to rise from time to time include safety, supply and recycling. While some battery chemistries are susceptible to overheating, auto manufacturers are keenly aware of this and have been engineering their packs to make this a highly unlikely event, even in the case of a vehicle crash. As for other harmful effects, we're pretty sure EMF concerns are nothing to worry about and even if you accidentally drink a glass of battery electrolyte, it will only taste bad but might not harm you (not that we recommend it). As for recycling, it can and is being done now and we're pretty sure it will continue in the future, since doing so is likely less expensive than mining new materials and will help ensure that supplies remain plentiful.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Matt Lenart 10:32PM (5/07/2009)
EV-95 NiMH made by PEVE. still going strong in RAV4-EVs.
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usbseawolf2000 10:48PM (5/07/2009)
There must be major misunderstanding... The Volt will use Lithium Polymer from LG Chem instead of A123's LiFePO4.
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Domenick Yoney 11:18PM (5/07/2009)
You are correct, thank you. Fixed.
Lauren 11:19PM (5/07/2009)
It seems that concentrating on the necessary infastructure, or whatever else is needed to make electric automobiles a widespread reality, is more important than nailing down the best type of battery just yet... if Lithium works well enough, then we should keep using it for now and work on the main transition to electric transportation.
Just a thought.
-Lauren
www.NeedANewCar.Info
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downtoearth 6:34AM (5/08/2009)
Lauren 11:19PM (5/07/2009):
> It seems that concentrating on the necessary infastructure,
> or whatever else is needed to make electric automobiles
> a widespread reality, is more important than nailing down
> the best type of battery just yet...
I don't get this we-need-charging-station nonsense.
For the vast majority of its life, your car is parked in front of your house, doing absolutely NOTHING.
Especially at night. You really need to be a die-hard sleepwalker to drive your car when passed out.
Who needs charging stations then? At the start, when first line of plug-in hybrids rolls out, people having garages will buy them and charge them at night.
Then they'll either cover all the daily driving on electricity alone or fire up the range extender for the Last (not that) Green Mile. 80% of fuel saved.
David Mustoe 8:34AM (5/08/2009)
This article is ancient history.
1) The burning batteries are a 20 year old design, and have nothing to do with EV batteries.
2) Lithium is one of the more common elements on this planet. When there is a volume demand for it, there will be volume production. That is how capitolism works.
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Richard 9:22AM (5/08/2009)
Rarely do articles like this mention cost, even though that is a critical determinant of feasibility. Currently Li batteries, in all their various configurations, cost about $1,000 per KWH of energy stored. That makes the Volt a $40,000 - $50,000 car and the Tesla S a $57,000 car when comparable vehicles with gasoline engines are $20,000 or so less expensive. That is why a Corvette is $60,000 and the Tesla Roadster is $120,000. Until the cost can get more in line with ICE we will be stuck with carbon fuels for the great majority of our vehicles.
Most of the cost of a lithium battery is components leading the CEO of Imara Corp, a lithium battery manufacturer, to say that he can not envision much lower lithium battery costs without "a new periodic table of elements" (EVCast.com). There is lots of lithium on the planet, it is just terribly hard and expensive to mine and smelt into useable form.
I think there is still lots of potential for NiMH and even the new lead acid designs like those from Firefly, Axion and CSIRO that have similar capabilities but much lower cost than lithium. But these alternatives are larger and heavier than lithium of comparable capacity. So the vehicles most likely to use them will be larger sedans, trucks and buses that use them with an ICE as hybrids, not pure electric. Lithium is likely to work best for sports cars, motorcycles and applications where size or weight are more critical than cost.
I hope Mr. Yi Cui at Stanford can make his nanowire lithium battery work at nominal increase in cost. If he can, then lithium will be practical. Until then, not so much.
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Tim W 12:46PM (5/08/2009)
$1 per Wh? are you serious? maybe if you're buying a single cell from a retail store.
DIYers are doing group buys for about 35¢/Wh ($1.10 per ah / 3.2 nominal volts = $0.34375) from Thundersky right now, and these are for orders of less than a mW total. see: http://www.diyelectriccar.com/forums/showthread.php/thundersky-bulk-order-next-week-30637.html
EV manufacturers will have hugely higher demand for the product, and likely will have JV status with their suppliers, or their own factories, allowing them to get their cells at below wholesale price. For example, 20 thousand cars in a year, using 70kWh packs = 1.4 Terrawatt hours of storage. (production target for Model S, with the middle sized pack option assumed average)
Uncle B 10:54AM (5/08/2009)
We need smaller, lighter re-chargeable units for electric power storage, or any power, for that matter. Hydraulics are about to be used in Fisker cars, Capacitive discharges at various voltage levels are being exploited, and as it stands, more post graduates, armed with computer and internet power are searching as we speak, than ever before in all the history of mankind, for this Holy Grail of the energy scene! We find promise in Li based work at the moment, but never discount a break-through in other fields, and expect the 21st Century to be the most exciting time on earth for science and technologies in general, a multi-national effort, not likely to be bought out and suppressed by U.S. corporations using the now disrespected U.S. patent system, not "sold" in China and Russia, where the best ideas will get out and be broadcast by the proletariat anyway! The Vulture Capitalist Methodology is dead, a new, regulated by the people capitalism is born and we will all be set free by this regulatory control! Multi-national corporations are no longer above "Obama-Law" and we have a lot to rejoice for! Science, set free!
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Nathan 12:42PM (5/08/2009)
I believe Lithium ion batteries, in all their different variations will probably be "the battery" for future electric car uses, although a couple of other types could be used in various situations.
Nickel-Zinc batteries being produced by PowerGen systems deliever much more power and engery density than nickel metal hydride batteries at a lower cost than nickel cadmium batteries. Although their energy density is lower than lithium ion batteries, the extreme lower price point could make these batteries very useful..if the company can survive and make good deals with auto manufactures. These will probably go into the smaller vehicles to help keep prices cheap.
Silver-Zinc batteries could also be used in electric vehicles for the future since ZPower has solved the issues with short life. Silver-Zinc batteries beat lithium ion for power and energy density (all those batteries used from NASA, including the lunar moon landings, yup, Silver-Zinc). Unfortunately the slightly higher gain in these categories comes at an extremely higher price than current lithium ions. I see silver-zinc as a niche battery for high dollar and/or high performance EV's.
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Richard 2:14PM (5/08/2009)
Yes, Tim, $1 per Watt hour. I know there are several internet sites where batteries are available at much less. For example I went to the website you show above where I copied the following quote regarding the supplier's quality - "I remember reading some old posts where it was as much as 20% of the cells delivered not working".
Large quantity orders, like the GM Volt battery order, are priced in the range of $800 per Kwh from suppliers who have to warranty their product, have quality spec's, tested crash worthy casing and liability insurance as well as capital in place to defend against lawsuits when the first car wrecks cause a lithium fire. A major manufacturer will not order from an internet supplier whose product may have a "20%" failure rate and unknown longevity. The low prices are probably from seconds, production overruns or cancelled orders. The real "retail" pricing for first quality stuff is still very expensive with little or no downward direction.
I would love to see major suppliers selling top quality lithium batteries in the $350 per Kwh range. But I do not expect it in the foreseeable future.
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Joeviocoe 3:46AM (5/10/2009)
I think Richard missed one of the key points of the article. "Currently Li batteries, in all their various configurations, cost about $1,000 per KWH of energy stored."
You cannot group Li-Ion batteries with a catch-all price. Different chemistries, form factors, manufacturers all change the price-point so drastically that it makes you attempt at stereotyping trivial.
We know from the Tesla roadster, their 53 kwh pack costs around $30,000 for a $100,000 car.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/01/17/tesla-offers-laundry-list-of-new-options-12k-prepaid-battery-r/
So that is $566 per kwh.
Now, the Tesla Model S (base price with for example which cost $57,500 USD and a pack of 42 kwh that comes with the base model. That is roughly 20% of the Roadsters pack. So 20% less of $30,000 is $24,000. And now that divided by 42 kwh...
That's less than $572 per kilowatt-hour!
You cannot arbitrarily insert the entire final retail cost of a production car as the price per kwh. That is mathmatical nonsense invented solely to make a point. Just because GM chooses to make the same mistakes when it comes to overly expensive suppliers, doesn't mean that is the market price.
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