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Home | Green Cars News | Hybrids | AFS Trinity Claims Conventional Plug-in Hybrid Batteries Will Last Only 25,000 Miles

AFS Trinity Claims Conventional Plug-in Hybrid Batteries Will Last Only 25,000 Miles

17 November, 2008 10:53:00

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AFS Trinity today reported independent test results demonstrating that the company's "Extreme Hybrid" technology that utilizes batteries in combination with ultracapacitors is 6 times more durable than plug-in hybrid that uses lithium-ion batteries alone.

Test has showed that technology that utilizes batteries in combination with ultracapacitors will enable a plug-in hybrid vehicle using the system to have a useful life for 150,000 miles versus 25,000 miles for a conventional plug-in hybrid that uses only lithium-ion batteries.

Battery tests were conducted by America's leading independent battery testing laboratory, Mobile Power Solutions of Beaverton, Oregon.

”A number of companies have announced plans to build plug-in hybrids that can power a car for 40 miles in all-electric mode. Even if the batteries can deliver this much power, how viable are these plug-ins if they are only good for 25,000 miles?” says AFS Trinity CEO Edward W. Furia. "However, AFS Trinity does not rule out the possibility that more durable cost effective batteries could be invented that could be used alone and which might be sufficient to handle the duty cycle of a PHEV. However, no such battery, of which AFS Trinity is aware, currently exists."

David Shemmans, CEO of Ricardo, the preferred supplier to AFS Trinity, said, "Batteries are the single most expensive part of an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid EV. From a cost standpoint, replacing the batteries is analogous to replacing the engine in an internal combustion-only car. Replacing the battery after they are used for only 25,000 miles, which could occur in just over 18 months in an average American driver's car, would make plug-ins impractical. A plug-in hybrid with an energy storage system that can survive 150,000 miles of driving is an enormous advantage and a potential economic game changer."

Furia explained why AFS Trinity's dual energy storage system of lithium-ion batteries and ultracapacitors managed by advanced power electronics results in the batteries being so much more durable than when the batteries are subjected to the same current demands but are used alone.

"When a battery in a plug-in hybrid is subjected to high current demands, which occurs every time the vehicle accelerates, either from a stop light or while merging from an on-ramp onto a freeway, resistive heating occurs in the battery. This resistive heating can easily become excessive with stop and go driving. Such excessive resistive heating damages a battery, and, in some cases can destroy it. In any event this phenomenon reduces the number of miles that can be driven during the life of the battery. In our system, however, the high current demand events are handled by the ultracapacitor, allowing the battery essentially to coast. Between such high current events, the battery trickled power into the ultracap, so that when the next acceleration occurs the ultracap is ready to handle it," Furia said.

AFS Trinity has pulled its 150 MPG plug-in hybrid SUV prototypes out of the LA Auto Show but will independently exhibit and demonstrate the super fuel- efficient vehicles on their own elsewhere in downtown LA during the show.

LA Auto Show management didn’t approve company’s 150mpg mileage advertisement.