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Silicon replacing graphite: the key to long range electric cars using lithium ion batteries?

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Hanyang University of Korea’s Professor Cho Jae-Phil claims his research team have discovered a way to produce lithium ion batteries that have 8 times more battery life than existing lithium ion batteries!

Now if this were a gadget blog you’d immediately think longer battery life for laptops, but since this is an automotive blog I’m pretty sure you’re thinking what I’m thinking - could this finally seal the fate of electric cars as the new mode of propulsion of the future?

It seems that the lithium ion batteries of today, while still superior to nickel batteries, are limited by the ability of its graphite cathode to store lithium ions. By applying a three-dimensional porous silicon, Professor Cho’s research team claims to be able to store up to 8 times the amount of lithium ions compared to current battery technology.

In another related news story earlier this year, a Stamford University research team discovered a (similiar?) way to improve lithium ion batteries to hold as much as 10 times more charge. It also involved replacing the graphite with a “forest” of silicon nanowires which can store much more lithium compared to graphite.

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13 Comments »

  1. kai_stereo said,

    November 16, 2008 @ 7:51 pm

    first comment. huhu…
    this car can run 120 km or 140 km????
    huhu… =D

  2. thecordwainers said,

    November 16, 2008 @ 7:58 pm

    so is this the solution for huge and expensive lithium ion battery pack that all EV makers looking for??

  3. ALPINA Bukard Bovensiepen GMBH + Co. KG said,

    November 16, 2008 @ 8:23 pm

    electric cars…..life is sad…

  4. jasonlow said,

    November 16, 2008 @ 9:05 pm

    Heard the news from a gadget blog, n Hanyang University is my university!!! Studying mechanical engineering here! hehe… really proud to hear something like this from my university!

  5. hyundai said,

    November 16, 2008 @ 11:45 pm

    Maybe Hyundai and Kia will be the first car to use it since they are all in Korean… Then can beat the stupid Prius…

  6. Wisdom said,

    November 16, 2008 @ 11:53 pm

    As I said, as long as it preserve the world.

  7. fastcx said,

    November 17, 2008 @ 12:26 am

    not just preserve the world, imagine those over 200Nm of instant torque!!! burn rubber with ease ;)

  8. csv said,

    November 17, 2008 @ 12:58 am

    so any companies interested to buy over the idea?

    mass market it?

  9. narrowband said,

    November 17, 2008 @ 9:11 am

    There’re thousands of universities in the world and I may not have heard of them all but “Standard University” is one heck of an unlikely name for an institution for higher learning.

  10. ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GMBH + Co. KG said,

    November 17, 2008 @ 1:55 pm

    please make electric cars look like lamborghinis

  11. rufus-x said,

    November 17, 2008 @ 7:32 pm

    err..from the picture…
    is that the engine bay for gen2…?
    i think it is….

    or its just a picture…from gen2 eVe….?

  12. hidrogentank said,

    November 18, 2008 @ 10:15 am

    kudos to them scientists n engineers. da future is comin
    !!!

  13. ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GMBH + Co. KG said,

    November 19, 2008 @ 10:13 am

    its a proton

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