Eco Factor: Concept cellphone runs on fuel cells powered by sugar.
With the sources of lithium depleting at a fast rate, their users including electric car and cellphone manufacturers are thinking about alternatives. While auto makers are thinking about leasing batteries instead of selling them with an EV, industrial designers are taking up the task to develop cellphones that do without these expensive batteries.
Designer Daizi Zheng has come up with a concept cellphone for Nokia that ditches Li-ion batteries and runs on a much cleaner fuel cell powered by sugar. The fuel cell generates electricity from carbohydrates, which is commonly found in soft drinks. The bio-battery, according to the designer, can operate the cellphone for three to four times longer than a conventional Li-ion battery on a single charge.