battery technology and supercapacitors

[pcliff30]

Really enjoyed the latest episode and the discussion on electric cars.

From what I've read, development of newer battery technology and supercapacitors will revolutionize not only automobiles but mobile computer devices also. Looking forward to it.

Here's a link to a Security Now transcript where Leo Laporte and Steve Gibson discuss some of the developments:

http://www.grc.com/sn/sn-188.htm

Paul

*Go Blackhawks!

[stunnermanpa]

I love the show but guys you really need to stick to topics you have atleast some knowledge in.

I am an Electrical engineer and hate electric engines and they hate me (I have an electric mower, trimmer and chain saw). That being said their is a reason and it is not a great a consirisy(SP) why we do not have more electric cars. We are getting their and it will eventually happen but the hurdles are huge.

- Batteries, To make High tech battery we have 2 huge issues beside cost, The materials used currently are rare and extremely toxic, & volalitile. Remember those laptop batteries that got really really hot (think of that in a car with 20x the battery size)
Side note on batteries the most common current materials used in batteries are extremely toxic to mine and refine. THis process currently produces almost as much nasty emisions as burning the fuel for the life span. (Search EE times for stories on this).

- Power - We just are not their at even close to equivelant power. I was at a conferance at GE a few weeks ago and Green power and electric cars was every where. To get the distance and charge time we have created special car clasifications that allow vechiles to be built without the same standards as a standard car.
Can you say death trap.

- Were do we get all the electric. This was touched on but it is a good topic. We are slowly adding infastructure that will support these but we are many years out before we can. And if we support these through building more coal plants how much have we helped. We basically have just hidden the pollution.

- To get a true solid electric vechicles we need to get away from the ineffiencies of of mechical control linkages. The auto industries are just getting into these methods and do not have the skill set yet to produce true pure electronic control. Look at the cars accelerating on their own and the PC not letting you brake as proof of that. They have started using the techniques that the airline industry used for fly by wire but as before we are still years out from full ready to the market.

[warlock]

Agree with the need for modernization of pure electronic systems.

However if it not for discussion such as these consumers wouldn't be as interested.

I'm in the opposite.. combustion engines hate me.. and I hate them..

I can't wait.. granted the batteries themselves are having less environmental impacts.. but the process well.. it needs work.. but look at silicon its taken how many years.

I'll take a li-poly any day over gasoline... well until it cost a 1.20/ltr then give me solar alternatives... but i think we need one to get the other. We know for sure that it isn't got to be any cheaper initially to charge these vs filling up... guess its just a different budget.