Powerhouse with a futureHOW A LITHIUM ION BATTERY WORKS. Lithium ion batteries are more powerful than other rechargeable batteries because of their high voltage and light weight. Other plus points include their high energy density, long lifetime and very low self-discharge. And this is how the batteries work: lithium is contained in a compound at the positive pole (cathode). When the battery gets charged, the electricity fed in causes the lithium to move to the negative pole (anode). The anode contains carbon, which captures and thus stores the lithium. If this energy is used to operate electrical consumers, the lithium ions travel back to the positive pole, thus generating electricity. This process can be repeated thousands of times.  BY 2020: NEARLY 13 PERCENT ELECTRIC CARS Conversely, what these predictions also mean is that there is no way round more efficient diesel and petrol vehicles in the medium term. Even if the increasing electrification of drive technology is foreseeable, the transport sector in particular will continue to depend on more efficient combustion engines. The kind of electricity that will power electric vehicles is another core question for the future. Electric cars will only ever be completely emission-free if the electricity comes from renewable sources such as wind, sun, or biomass. Experts from the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) say that ten million vehicles in Germany could use wind power today. Dr. Martin Pehnt from the Heidelberg Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (ifeu) is also aware of these figures. The scientist believes that “the integration of electric cars and renewable energy has potential”. But first, the technological hurdles have to be overcome: “I believe that Volkswagen’s strategy of starting with plug-in hybrid vehicles and then building on this to develop cars that run purely on electricity is the right approach.” ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: |
 “Mass production will cut prices”INTERVIEW WITH PROF. DR. MARTIN WINTER, AN EXPERT FOR LITHIUM ION TECHNOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MÜNSTER’S INSTITUTE OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. Why is there no getting round lithium ion batteries in the area of e-mobility? This type of battery offers the unique opportunity to combine a long lifetime with the practical range of an electric vehicle. What main problems still exist? Energy content needs to be increased in order to extend the range further. We also don’t know how such batteries will perform in fleet operations. What proposals do you have to increase the safety of lithium ion batteries? At the moment, these batteries are largely safeguarded by an electronic management system for the individual cells. A steel housing provides a second safety layer. I believe it is important that the materials used in the cells as backups react more safely in the case of thermal or mechanical loads. We need a chemical safety feature in addition to the existing electronic and mechanical measures. How can the costs of tomorrow’s batteries be reduced? Here, too, mass production will lower costs. But we also need cheaper and, at the same time, better materials. Higher petrol prices in the future will also make batteries more cost-competitive.  |
