{"id":8176,"date":"2013-08-25T10:41:35","date_gmt":"2013-08-25T17:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=8176"},"modified":"2013-08-26T08:09:21","modified_gmt":"2013-08-26T15:09:21","slug":"transformative-ev-range-expansion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/transformative-ev-range-expansion\/","title":{"rendered":"Transformative EV Range Expansion?"},"content":{"rendered":"

In what may be eventual good news for future electric aviators, the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) will\u00a0award<\/a>\u00a0approximately $36 million to 22 projects to develop transformational electric vehicle (EV) energy storage systems using innovative chemistries, architectures and designs. \u00a0ARPA-E also uses the term, “revolutionary.”<\/p>\n

The series of awards is part of the RANGE program (Robust Affordable Next Generation Energy Storage Systems), intended \u201cto enable a 3X increase in electric vehicle range (from ~80 to ~240 miles per charge) with a simultaneous price reduction of > 1\/3 (to ~ $30,000). If successful, these vehicles will provide near cost and range parity to gasoline-powered ICE vehicles, ARPA-E said.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTransformational\u201d comes straight from the CAFE phrase book, a hoped-for direction that goes beyond evolution to revolution in what comes next.\u00a0 A 3X battery at 1\/3 the price would certainly be transformational, especially in aircraft use, making even ultralights plausible, and Light Sport Aircraft truly functional.\u00a0 Craft such as Pipistrel\u2019s Panthera or Volta Volare would be brilliant in pure electric or hybrid mode with such improved batteries.<\/p>\n

Part of the cost reduction would come from a more inclusive approach to battery and system design, improving EV driving range and reducing vehicle costs \u201cby re-envisioning the total EV battery system, rather than working to increase the energy density of individual battery cells.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Quallion<\/a>

Quallion truck battery, 1\/4 the weight of a comparable lead-acid battery. Quallion also makes aerospace batteries<\/p><\/div>\n

Green Car Congress<\/a><\/em> notes that ARPA-E is not interested in incremental changes or \u201cthat have little potential to reduce system complexity, weight, and cost.\u201d\u00a0 The University of California at San Diego will receive funding to make lighter, less costly batteries and find ways to incorporate them into the vehicle\u2019s frame, something that involves a multi-disciplinary approach and expansive goals.<\/p>\n

ARPA-E has created different categories for funding<\/a>, with one for batteries varying from advanced aqueous lithium-ion batteries (University of Houston) to a water-based flow battery for EVs (General Electric). \u00a0Another, involving battery and vehicle architectures, provides funding for \u201cmultifunctional battery chassis systems,\u201d (Stanford University), \u201cLow-Cost Electric Vehicle <\/strong>Battery Architecture,\u201d Cloteam LLC, \u201cMultifunctional Battery Systems for Electric Vehicles,\u201d University of California, San Diego, \u00a0\u201cMultifunctional Cells for EVs,\u201d Arizona State University, \u201cStructural Battery Power Panels,\u201d Pennsylvania State University, and \u201cImpact-Tolerant EV Batteries,\u201d Purdue University.<\/p>\n

In the \u201cRobust non-aqueous\u201d category, ARPA-E has provided funding to Quallion for a battery that not only provides thermal and mechanical safeguards to prevent overcharging, overheating, and cell damage, but includes new components to isolate damage and reduce the need for additional packaging and shielding.\u00a0 Funding will also go to the Illinois Institute of Technology for a \u201cnanoelectrofuel flow battery\u201d for EVs that uses a high-energy density liquid as its electrode.\u00a0 This will require increasing the normally low, but stable energy density of such batteries.\u00a0\u00a0 Taking up a similar challenge, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will devise new ways to use organic energy storage materials.\u00a0 Finally in this category, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will create an electrolyte that changes from liquid to solid when impacted, a novel approach to eliminating shielding that adds weight to conventional batteries.<\/p>\n

Three private enterprises and one academic institution will receive funds for research on solid-state batteries.\u00a0 Ceramatec will develop a non-porous, high-conductivity ceramic membrane for lithium-sulfur batteries to minimize self-discharge, provide mechanical integrity, and extend battery life.\u00a0 Their new battery will include advanced electrolytes developed for this system.<\/p>\n

\"Solid-Power<\/a>

Solid Power LLC’s solid-state battery with no leaking electrolytes to ignite<\/p><\/div>\n

Using low-cost, non-flammable, non-volatile materials, Solid Power, LLC will develop a solid-state battery with improved energy density and safety.\u00a0 Bettergy, reaching for the same goals, will create batteries with similar energy density to current offerings, but \u201cenhanced strength and robustness.\u201d\u00a0 Finally, the University of Maryland will work with ceramic materials and multi-layer processes to produce a solid state battery with lower weight and longer life.<\/p>\n

ARPA-E\u2019s hoped-for results are short of the 5X, 1\/5th<\/sup> current cost battery former U. S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu asked for last December<\/a>.\u00a0 Other goals, a bit disparate from those expressed above, would be welcome in the EV community, including $125 per kilowatt hour batteries.\u00a0 Compare that to Electravia\u2019s current prices<\/a> per kW-hr of about $1,875 to $1,900, and ElectraFlyer’s<\/a> of about $1,517 to $1,600 per kW-hr.\u00a0\u00a0 Note these prices include battery management systems and packaging.<\/p>\n

We can hope for an improved and broader range of energy storage products coming from this coordinated effort by government, academia and private enterprise, especially with the varied materials and approaches involved.<\/p>\n

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