Check it. . .
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/1...nology-introduces-large-format-lithium-batter
If you follow the link to the Valence website, that's where it gets really interesting. They have several PDF documents you can download.
If I'm reading this material correctly, these are designed as a drop-in replacement for conventional lead-acid automotive batteries. Their size and shape, and voltage (12.8v), are interchangeable. Each unit has its own built-in cell management system, so you can simply charge it up like a lead-acid battery. All the cell balancing and prevention of overcharging or undercharging is handled internally by the battery unit.
Think of what this would mean for conversions. . . You could take an existing gas car that was converted using lead-acid batteries, which would have a typical range of 40 miles per charge, and you could substitute these Epoch batteries on a one-for-one basis and immediately have an 80-mile car.
The units weigh 35% less than lead-acid batteries, so if you can find room in the car you could actually put in more batteries and get well over 100 miles per charge without increasing the weight of the vehicle.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/1...nology-introduces-large-format-lithium-batter
If you follow the link to the Valence website, that's where it gets really interesting. They have several PDF documents you can download.
If I'm reading this material correctly, these are designed as a drop-in replacement for conventional lead-acid automotive batteries. Their size and shape, and voltage (12.8v), are interchangeable. Each unit has its own built-in cell management system, so you can simply charge it up like a lead-acid battery. All the cell balancing and prevention of overcharging or undercharging is handled internally by the battery unit.
Think of what this would mean for conversions. . . You could take an existing gas car that was converted using lead-acid batteries, which would have a typical range of 40 miles per charge, and you could substitute these Epoch batteries on a one-for-one basis and immediately have an 80-mile car.
The units weigh 35% less than lead-acid batteries, so if you can find room in the car you could actually put in more batteries and get well over 100 miles per charge without increasing the weight of the vehicle.
