Earth Equity News

Lithium-ion Batteries for Plug-ins Still a Long Way off. By Andrew Stern, Reuters, September 15, 2008. "Vast improvements are needed to extend the life and lower the cost of lithium batteries before they can efficiently power vehicles, a U.S. government official who tracks high-power battery development said on Monday. Lithium-ion batteries are widely predicted to replace nickel metal-hydride batteries currently used in most hybrid vehicles, such as Toyota's hot-selling Prius... Lithium batteries that deliver low power have been used for years to power laptop computers and similar devices, but prismatic lithium batteries that deliver more power in a smaller package, and hold a bigger charge safely without overheating, are seen as the next generation to power cars… South Korea has been aggressive… [with a] goal… to produce a lithium-powered plug-in vehicle by 2013, three years before the U.S.'s target… Asked whether the U.S. was falling behind in building electric or hybrid cars, Duong said: 'We're losing the race in manufacturing, but not in R&D.' He said there is a lot of discussion in Washington of funding a… $1 billion battery project."