Lithium/Air Battery Project (Battery 500) - overview
The 2009 Almaden Institute, Scalable Energy Storage: Beyond Lithium Ion, has inspired the formation of a new project focused on Lithium/Air Rechargeable Batteries.
Goal: create a powerful new battery for electric cars
- as good as gasoline
- 500 miles/800 km range per charge
- a total electric drive system comparable in size, weight and price to a gasoline drive train
Technical Approach:
- a lightweight 'air-cathode' replaces heavy metal-oxide cathodes of today
- encapsulated Lithium metal anode
Outlook:
- this is a very high risk/very high reward, long horizon project
- 3 years basic science, know of commercial applications before ~2020
- joint research effort with National Labs and commercial partners
- if successful, such batteries could dramatically reduce oil dependency
A look inside a lithium-air battery