Eco Factor: Rapid-recharging system could improve performance of electric cars.
Rapid-recharging system, also known as Level III holds the potential to boost the performance and practicality of electric vehicles. With an aim to demonstrate that recharging can be accomplished routinely in under 30 minutes without severely reducing the operating lifetime of the batteries or causing other problems, a team of MIT students has been working on testing a rapid-recharging system. They converted a motorcycle to all-electric operation, and then performed a successful rapid-charging test using an individual battery cell, reaching more than 80 percent charge within 10 minutes.
Now the students look forward to demonstrate the system on a full-sized sedan, the 2010 Mercury Milan hybrid that they converted into a pure electric vehicle. For the test, the team ran a lithium-ion battery made by the MIT spinoff company A123 Systems through 1,500 charge and discharge cycles, using an automated system. This battery is said to be the best suited for rapid charging and is claimed to be capable of being fully recharged in 15 minutes.
After 1,500 cycles, it was found that the battery lost less than 10 percent of its initial power capacity. So, the team used a fan to prevent overheating, which by stressing the chemical and mechanical components can lead to degradation. The paper’s on the team’s rapid-charging tests will be presented at the 12th International Conference on Advanced Vehicle and Tire Technologies in Montreal next week.
Via: RedOrbit
