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Home | Green Cars News | Technology | Germany: Li-Tec Reports Lithium-Ion Battery Breakthrough

Germany: Li-Tec Reports Lithium-Ion Battery Breakthrough

10 December, 2007 12:00:00

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German company from eastern Saxony has designed a lithium-ion battery membrane that could finally make electric cars common.

For years, battery-powered cars have been hampered by technological hurdles, with researchers seeking to resolve problems of weight, autonomy and ways of recharging vehicles quickly and easily.

Recent progress towards lighter and more powerful batteries has been made however, in particular by groups like the Japanese car maker Toyota with its hybrid vehicles, and high-tech firms in France.

Lithium ion batteries developed by the German company called Li-Tec, which is taking part in a development program with Bosch, "take up 30% less volume than those from Toyota" and "allow you to go three times further for the same weight than French models, " according to Li -Tec director Tim Schaefer.

A spokesman for the German tool and auto parts company Bosch said: "It's a step towards totally electric cars."

Li-Tec’s ‘Separion’ system consists of two lithium electrodes in an electrolyte, separated by a flexible ceramic membrane that reportedly provides greater thermal stability than has so far been achieved in lithium ion batteries. Their tendency to overheat is what led Toyota to delay installing li-ion batteries in the forthcoming third-generation Prius hybrid. Other consortia besides Bosch are also developing lithium ion battery technologies focused on thermal control.

According to Felix von Borck, director of the Akasol research center in western Darmstadt, the Separion goes a long way towards resolving that problem.

”It's a true technological break," Borck said. "It is a crucial boost for the success of lithium-ion batteries."

Li-Tec has joined a consortium that includes Bosch, chemical giant BASF and German car maker Volkswagen to develop the product, which has existed for two years.

[source: APF, Li-Tec.de]