News

February 19, 2016

Bee Pollen Forms Carbon Microstructures for Li-ion Anodes

Much research in the battery world focuses on finding a replacement for graphite as an anode material. One candidate is hard carbon, which can be formed in various morphologies to deliver the desired properties. But in fact, there are already millions of tiny factories around the world, cranking out as […]
February 16, 2016

Daimler Stores New EV Batteries in Working Grid Storage System

Daimler, in partnership with its subsidiary ACCUmotive and Hannover-based utility enercity, is planning a new stationary energy storage system with a unique twist. The 15 MWh installation will be marketed on the German energy balancing market, and will also serve as a storage facility for new EV battery packs. The […]
February 16, 2016

Tesla Sends Out Surveys To Powerwall Reservation Holders

The impending deployments of Tesla Powerwalls in the US appears to be starting, with surveys having been sent out to early reservation holders. No firm details are included, but with Tesla already releasing the user manual and installing Powerwalls in the UK and Australia, the timing of the surveys seems like a […]
February 4, 2016

Skeleton Technologies Scores €4 Million in New Investment for its Graphene Ultracapacitors

Ultracapacitor manufacturer Skeleton Technologies has secured a €4 million investment from the energy-oriented investment company KIC InnoEnergy, part of €9.8 million in Series B financing raised by Skeleton last year. “We see KIC InnoEnergy as a strong, value-added partner, with a number of their investors being current or potential customers […]
February 4, 2016

Graphene Cages Could be the Key to Silicon Anodes

Battery boffins are buzzing about silicon anodes, which could store up to 10 times more energy than today’s anodes. The catch is that silicon particles tend to swell and crack during cycling, and to react with the electrolyte in unwanted ways. Now a team from Stanford University and the Department […]
February 1, 2016

Motorola Invests in Magnesium-Ion Battery Startup Pellion

Motorola Solutions has invested an unspecified amount in Pellion Technologies, a startup that was founded by a team of MIT researchers. Pellion is focused on commercializing magnesium-ion battery technology. Because magnesium is divalent, it can displace double the charge per ion that lithium can, and the element is more abundant […]
January 28, 2016

Nissan EV Batteries (Next Generation) To Be Produced In Sunderland, UK

Originally published on EV Obsession. Nissan has announced that it will be producing future-generation EV batteries in Sunderland, in the UK. First of all, this is exciting news for Sunderland and the UK as a whole, as it means high-quality, high-paying jobs for hundreds of people. Additionally, I’m viewing it […]
January 27, 2016

Self-Heating Lithium-Ion Battery Aims to Conquer Winter Range Anxiety

One of the drawbacks of lithium-ion batteries is that they tend to suffer power loss in cold weather. At temperatures below freezing, charging is slower, regenerative braking is restricted and vehicle range can be reduced. Now researchers from Penn State and spin-off company EC Power have developed a battery that […]
January 23, 2016

The Solutions Project: How 139 Countries Can Hit 100% Renewable Energy

The idea of hitting 100% renewable energy (yes, energy, not just electricity) scares a lot of people. That is, a lot of people don’t think their cities or countries can achieve 100% renewable energy. However, a leading energy researcher at Stanford has led teams of researchers in order to practically […]
January 18, 2016

Two-Level Cathode Structure Improves Battery Performance

As the search for a better battery grinds on, a lot of the attention is focused on potential cathode materials. Nickel is one possibility that shows a lot of promise – its drawback is that it is unstable and tends to have destructive reactions with the electrolyte. Now a team […]
January 15, 2016

New Material Shuts Down Batteries at High Temperatures and Restarts When it Cools

Stanford researchers have invented a new technology that could eliminate thermal runaway in high-energy-density batteries. Thermal runaway refers to a chain reaction in which an increase in temperature causes further increases in temperature and uncontrollable release of energy. In “Fast and reversible thermoresponsive polymer switching materials for safer batteries,” published in Nature […]
January 5, 2016

Saft To Provide Batteries For Over 200 French Trains

Saft has signed an agreement with SNCF, the national railway operator in France, to provide nickel-based batteries for over 200 trains, which employ the Alstom Coradia Duplex electric multiple unit (EMU) platform. These trains can achieve 160 km/h and are used in regional routes in France. The Saft/SNCF contract has been valued at about […]