Lithium batteries economy

In 1997, Toyota Motor Company launched electric hybrid vehicles into the world market, followed by Nissan and Honda a few years later. They were very popular because of the good fuel economy and the increasing interest in global environmental issue. Therefore, all of the car manufacturers worldwide accelerated their research and development for hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technology. Although the batteries used for HEV by Toyota and Honda are nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries and they are major batteries in the field at present, the pressure for development is put on not Ni-MH but lithium because of the superior characteristics in power, weight, heat generation, and so on to Ni-MH. 

Other practical applications of the alkali metals and their compounds include sodium and potassium in living systems, lithium as treatment for bipolar disorder (manic depression), elemental sodium and lithium as reducing agents, lithium in a new generation of batteries, cesium in photoelectric devices, potassium-argon dating, and lithium as a source of tritium to fuel the hydrogen economy. 

Five driving cycles are considered in the study to evaluate the impact of advanced lithium-ion batteries on fuel economy HDDS (urban dynamometer driving schedule), HWFET (highway fuel economy test), LA92 (1992 test data from Los Angeles), NEDC (new European driving cycle) and Ford ATDS. The main characteristics of each cycle are summarized in Table 8. 

In terms of economy, safety, and energy conversion efficiency, lithium-ion batteries have been markedly improved, and their application for large-scale energy storage is imminent. 

After over 20 years of their commercialization, lithium-ion batteries have experienced a rapid market growth despite a sluggish worldwide economy. With emerging new markets, lithium-ion batteries need to provide enhanced performance in terms of energy density, power density, calendar life, and safety.This requires the development of new electrode and electrolyte materials capable of storing more lithium at faster rates with higher chemical, thermal, and mechanical stability. 

Lithium-ion batteries are used in Nissan s Tino, a hybrid electric vehicle. The Tino seats five and achieves twice the fuel economy of the corresponding non-HEV car. Only a hundred Tinos will be built and they use Shin-Kobe LiMn204 packs. Saft [11] has recently reported good low temperature performance for cold cranking and projects that a 15-year life should be achievable with LiNiCoOj-based cells. Cost and safety appear to be the only issues now limiting use of lithium-ion batteries in hybrid electric vehicles. 

---