meet these goals. Problem areas include corrosion and thermal management, as well as durability.
At this point, an EV-type battery or module has not yet been fabricated.Lithium-Ion
This battery type has many supporters who consider it a leading long term candidate for EV
power. The battery has been studied at the cell level and has demonstrated the following
advantages^81 :high specific energy of about 100 to 110 Wh/kg,good cycle performance with a life of over 1,000 cycles at 100 percent DoD,maintenance free system,potential for low cost.The battery developer, SAFT, has used a lithium-nickel oxide alloy (LiNiO 2 ) as the anode and
a carbon cathode, with an electrolyte of confidential components to demonstrate a prototype cell
with the above properties. SAFT has publicly stated that it can attain a specific power of about
200 W/kg, and costs near the $150/KWh goal, similar to the statements of other battery
developers. Nevertheless, there is much development work to be done, as the current system is
seriously degraded by overcharge or overdischarge, and a mass production process for the anode
material is not well developed.^82 The battery holds promise for commercialization in the post-
2005 time frame.
Solid electrolyte batteries.
These batteries are potentially extremely “EV friendly” batteries in that they are spillage proof
and maintenance free. A schematic of the lithium polymer battery is shown in figure 3-4, and the
battery can be manufactured as “sheets” using manufacturing technology developed for magnetic
tape production. Many problems still remain to be resolved for lithium-polymer rechargeable
batteries including the need for reversible positive electrode materials and stable high conductivity
polymers as well as scale-up problems associated with high voltages and current. Researchers at
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have projected specific energy and power of 350 Wh/kg
and 190 W/kg, respectively, but these figures are based on laboratory cell performance data.^83
Actual data from Westinghouse and 3M suggest that the specific energy and power from an entire
battery may be at half the levels projected by ORNL for a single cell.^84 Other researchers have
(^81) R. Staniewicz, "Lithium-Ion Battery System- for EVs," paper presented at the 12th International EV Symposium, December 1994.
(^82) Ibid.
(^83) J.B. Bates et al., "Thin-Film.. ~ Rechargeable Lithium Batteries,” paper presented at the Automotive Technology Development Contractors
Coordination Meeting, U.S. Department of Energy, October 1994. 84
Westinghouse and 3M staff, persona1communications, October 1994.