Sakti3, the future in EV batteries?

[Old Rocks]

Will this battery change everything - Fortune

Imagine an electric car that could travel more than 300 miles on a single charge. A pipe dream? Yes, for now. But a Michigan startup called Sakti3 just might make it a reality. In August the company announced that it was close to achieving the holy grail of power storage: a battery with about double the energy density of today’s lithium-ion technology at one-fifth the cost. Such a battery could give us the first $25,000 mass-market electric car, with a driving range that would please most customers.

There is a lot more on google on this battery. Looks very interesting.

 

[Vikrant]

I am holding off on buying electric car till they have some decent range. I do not want to fiddle with hybrid. When I go, I want to go straight to electric.

 

[Old Rocks]

That is the present obsticle for the EV. That and cost of the battery. Both are being addressed, because of financial incentative. Fortunes to be made with a reasonably priced battery that will give an auto 300 miles range or more.

 

[Vikrant]

Battery technology is a rapidly advancing technology so it is only a matter of time before we will build a battery that suits our needs as far as EV is concerned. But it will be really cool to have a car equipped with battery which can be recharged through sun light. So theoretically speaking during daylight on a clear day, you will not even need to stop to recharge. That will be ultimate green technology.

 

[mamooth]

At peak on a sunny day, a car-sized solar panel array can generate about 2 kilowatts, which is about 2.5 hp. Even assuming we can double efficiency, that's 5 hp. A push lawnmower has the same amount of engine power.

It just isn't possible to run a car solely on the sunlight shining down on it at that moment. Yes, I'm aware of college solar car competitions. They make one-person ultralight cars that run at low speeds. Realistically, you'd need a full day of sitting a car in the sun just for about one hour of driving, and that just for a very underpowered small car.

 

[Old Rocks]

Well, I suppose if one put a very large solar canopy over a light bicycle, then you could have a solar powered vehicle. Until a wind came up, then you would have a sail plane with real poor landing capabilities.

 

[Vikrant]

Well, I suppose if one put a very large solar canopy over a light bicycle, then you could have a solar powered vehicle. Until a wind came up, then you would have a sail plane with real poor landing capabilities.

What I had in mind was covering the entire body with solar tiles or something like that. So the entire car left, right, rear, front, top, etc. will be receiving solar energy and converting that into electricity. I do not know how durable those solar panels are so I am not sure if they will survive as a cover of the body. Now I do not have basic data in front me to work with so I do not know if it will be adequate to power the car's motor. I have seen people here in California who have converted their roof into solar panels and they say it meets their electricity needs during sunny days easily. They even get to put surplus into the grid and get paid from the utility company. I have to look into it to a bit further when I get a chance.

 

[Old Rocks]

Pushing a couple of tons down the highway at 70 mph is a lot more energy intensive than running your house. The amount of area on a vehicle would not get you any real amount of power compared to what you need. But, if your roof faces the right direction, most roofs have enough area for the home and a vehicle.

Do look into it. By buying a large kit array, and doing your own installation, you can easily get a system for your home at one of the wholesale outfits for a reasonable sum.

 

[Vikrant]

There is a company called Solar Electrical Vehicle which was founded in 2005. This company specializes in installing solar panels on top of your car which directly results in improved longevity of your battery. The company installs this kit for both Hybrid and EV.

Solar Electrical Vehicles

 

[Old Rocks]

As a boost for your vehicle, yes. As the primary charging system, no. Don't know why someone have not considered the advantages of using a large van as an EV. Cost of batteries have to come down, but that is a given, and, yes, the large roof area would be a boost with a system like that. The vans also have acres of room underneath for batteries, so cheap batteries would equal long range.

 

[Vikrant]

As a boost for your vehicle, yes. As the primary charging system, no. Don't know why someone have not considered the advantages of using a large van as an EV. Cost of batteries have to come down, but that is a given, and, yes, the large roof area would be a boost with a system like that. The vans also have acres of room underneath for batteries, so cheap batteries would equal long range.

Of course, it is not very practical to have solar panels as only means of recharging the battery because if that were the case you would be stuck on cloudy, rainy or snowy days. But it should be considered as means to improving the range.