QinetiQ and Ricardo has demonstrated the potential for low cost and flexible battery systems for use in hybrid and electric vehicles. The two companies have collaborated for two years with funding from the DOT in the UK.
The newly developed technology has shown a decrease in cost and weight reduction as compared to other products currently offered.
Mark Roberts, QinetiQ’s strategic market team director, energy & environment, said “One of the most exciting aspects of this new Lithium-Ion cell chemistry is its flexibility, being customisable for both high power and high capacity applications. Not only could this improve performance in existing HEVs through reduced cell size and weight, but also make all-electric vehicles a more credible proposition by increasing range. And because iron sulphide-based cell chemistry is cheaper to produce than traditional cobalt cells, lower production costs could make hybrid and all-electric vehicles more affordable in the future.”
