Firefly technology powers Oasis batteries
By Susan Wilson
This summer a new lead acid battery will arrive. Initially, the advanced battery technology will be used in Oasis truck batteries to power long haul trucks. Plans are in the works to develop batteries for hybrid and electric cars.
Lead acid batteries have been around for decades, but suffer from several shortcomings. Traditional lead acid batteries are subject to a short life span from corrosion of the positive grid and sulfation of the negative grid. Symptoms of this corrosion can be seen in that white stuff that collects on your battery connectors and cables preventing the battery from properly powering your car.
Firefly has solved the corrosion problem by replacing the typical lead grid with a new Microcell composite graphite foam grid. The Microcell grid is then filled with a “slurry of lead oxides”. The new foam grid reacts the same way as the older grid did except that it lowers the weight of the battery while improving the life span.
The Firefly technology, developed as a research and development project at Caterpillar, has also increased the efficiency of the battery and reduces the recharge rate. The technology also increased the number of deep discharges the Oasis can handle to four times what a normal battery can handle
Environmentally, the Oasis with Firefly technology, is much cleaner than nickel or lithium based batteries. Why? Because 97% of lead acid batteries are recycled for free. There is no comparable program for nickel or lithium batteries. Most recycling programs for the two newer technologies require you to pay them.
Because the life span of the Oasis is so much longer than other batteries, fewer of these batteries will need to be recycled. The graphite foam grid can simply be burned away, releasing the lead oxides to be used again.
This battery is expected to be available this summer. Since the process to create it is cheap and uses regular battery manufacturing processes, the cost should be similar to regular lead batteries but with the huge advantages outlined above.
Hopefully, this technology will be available for cars soon. The reduced weight, increased longevity and improved efficiency would be wonderful for hybrid and electric cars.
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June 6th, 2008
With regards to the Oasis batteries I would be interested in more information.I am building an electric car from the ground up. My system is going to be 72 volts,nominal current 160 amps and max current of 400 amps. The batteries I had picked out to use were 4da series truck batteries. The only problem I have with them is 94lbs each. The more information you can send me the better. The other factor will be price.
June 6th, 2008
David,
Their web site specifically states they will only be selling to big companies for the time being and will not be selling to individuals and EV’rs yet. They expect to begin open market sales a couple of years down the road.
Their web site is : http://www.fireflyenergy.com
Look under FAQ’s – Electric vehicles
June 6th, 2008
>Their web site specifically states they
>will only be selling to big companies for
>the time being and will not be selling to >individuals and EV’rs yet.
Thats a real shame. There are a lot of folks so tired of waiting and if they have a REAL solution then why not make a division to supply it?
If it was found that these things work the line to get batteries would be pretty long.
What is the life cycle? Did they mention that anywhere?
Whats the cost? Similar to led acid means you can get a big one for about $80 to $100?
Any problems with thermal runaway?
Seems silly that it would not be sold to Die Hard/ or Sears directly for a lighter longer lasting battery. I would buy one when my battery went dead.
But are they just not sure of their claims?
June 8th, 2008
Bob,
Their web site has all the specs.
http://www.fireflyenergy.com/images/stories/pdfs/G31%20Specification%20Sheet%20012308.pdf
There batteries are for real not just vaporware, The only have limited manufacturing capability thusfar and could not supply enough varied sizes for a big distribution to sears additionally these would not show a marked improvement vs cost for car starting. There claim to fame is being able to be deeply discharged a lot of times. I agree with their current plan to sell to trucking co’s because thats where the best price to performance ratio will be. Further down the road they can produce many different sizes for different apps.
June 8th, 2008
I read that the Oasis battery would first be produced in Group 31 size. That just happens to be the size used in the ZENN neighborhood electric vehicle. The ZENN is already a usable urban vehicle. Putting Oasis batteries in the ZENN would solve one of its only significant limitations, which is greatly reduced range in the winter (if you let the batteries get cold). I plan to buy a ZENN as soon as there is a way to get Oasis batteries.
June 8th, 2008
“…[a conventional] battery drops to only 40% of what can be provided at ambient when the car is started at minus 18 degrees C. By comparison, a Firefly 3D battery will provide almost 70% of its ambient-temperature power at minus 18 degrees C. …the net result is Firefly’s battery does not need to be ’sized up’ for cold weather performance.”
http://www.fireflyenergy.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=205&Itemid=89
June 9th, 2008
Bradford,
My personal intrest is that the group31 battery is close enough in size to the batteries used in my solectria force to allow direct replacement. By my estimates they would give me a range of 60 miles or so compared to the current 40-45 max it currently has. Additionally it would free me from the concern of damaging the battery by draining it completely. Doubling or trippling the expected time between battery replacements if not a bad bonus either.
June 9th, 2008
Their group31 battery spec. indicate same weight as a normal traction battery I think. Anyone can confirm this !?
When they eventually produce a larger quantity for trucks, I not afraid of EV-entusiasts are not going to get any for another couple of years. As with A123 LiFePo4 batteryes, the RC-entusiasts quite early got some, from disassembling of Dewalt drill battery-packs, when they couldn’t byy them otherwise.
Best regards
June 9th, 2008
Their group31 battery spec. indicate same weight as a normal traction battery I think. Can anyone confirm this !?
When they eventually produce a larger quantity for trucks, I not afraid of EV-entusiasts are not going to get any for another couple of years. As with A123 LiFePo4 batteryes, the RC-entusiasts quite early got some, from disassembling of Dewalt drill battery-packs, when they couldn’t byy them otherwise.
Best regards
June 13th, 2008
Eric, Oasis batteries in a Solectria Force would be very cool, though I’m not sure they would completely eliminate concern about 100% discharge.
Kjeld, I guess the fear is that the Oasis batteries will go directly to fleet operators, preventing EV owners from getting their hands on them. I wonder if there could be a way to get around that.
Does anyone have more information on these two issues? Thanks!
June 15th, 2008
I think they will change their tune rather quickly when it comes to selling them to Long-Haul truckers. Long-Haul truckers will soon become a shadow of what they once were. Over 1000 Trucking companies have gone out of business since the first of the year.
It’s almost impossible to make money at $5.00 a gallon of diesel. I think you’ll see a dramatic shift to cross-country train shipping, and short haul trucking. The days of hauling tomatos from California to North Dakota in a 40ft trailer are rapidly coming to an end.
I CAN’T WAIT for these batteries. Talk about the perfect battery for home EV builders.
November 25th, 2008
Whether or not to open an online retail site will be useful in the market?