Charging Advancement in LiFePO Battery Technology

This week’s Nature has an article explaining that the authors have figured out a way to dramatically increase the charge/discharge rate of LiFePO batteries.

ArsTechnica (my favorite tech site) has an article on how an advancement in the manufacture of LiFePO batteries could cement their position as the leader of the pack in (known) battery technologies for plug-in electric hybrids.

The article’s author is correct in tamping down excitement for pure electric cars in his last paragraph – you’re going to need some awfully big conductors to carry 1MW of power to recharge a battery in under 10 minutes in a pure electric vehicle regardless of battery characteristics. Its why I think pure EVs are a long ways off for the average person, but PHEVs are the bridge for the next 25 years.

If these LiFePO batteries retain their ~2000 cycle life (to 80%) then they stand to be a suitable for PHEVs though – a 12kW battery could run a Chevy Volt on electricity for the full 100,000 mile warranty before the 80% (32 miles/charge) marker. The batteries still cost a ton ($15,000), but the current prospect of GM expecting to have to replace the battery pack at least once during the warranty with the current battery spec would disappear.

Charging from a 240V/30A circuit (like for an electric clothes dryer) would allow 8kW to be transferred in a little over an hour, vs the current 3-5 hour charging time publicly announced for the Volt, depending on how efficient the electrical system is from meter to battery.

It would be exciting to see these batteries in the second generation of PHEVs, they are safer than traditional Li-Ion batteries, and could support quicker charging times. Their high cycle life will make it easier for manufacturers to not have to spend an arm and a leg on in-warranty battery replacements.

It wont be long I hope. Between this and algae-based diesel production in the Sonoran desert, the United States could eliminate its dependence of foreign oil completely.