Eco Factor: Lithium-air batteries with ten times more storage capacity to be developed by IBM.
IBM has kicked off its Battery 500 Project, which if successful will result in the development of next-gen batteries which could boost the range of electric cars to as much as 500 miles on a single recharge. The project commenced at the company’s Alamaden Laboratory in San Jose, California and will require the resources of 40 of the world’s best engineers and scientists.
The technology will be based on the use of lithium-air batteries, which instead of being a sealed system, harness atmospheric oxygen in the air as the cathode of the battery. In addition to a ten times larger storage density than conventional lithium-ion batteries, the lithium-air batteries will weigh considerably less, which will better the performance of the car in which they’re installed.
