Lithium ion batteries are the batteries of choice for most hybrid and electric vehicles on the road or in production.  However, lithium ion batteries only last for approximately 25,000 miles on plug-in hybrids using batteries alone.  AFS Trinity has designed a system that goes significantly further.

Mobile Power Solutions, an independent testing company, returned test results for AFS Trinity’s system showing six times the mileage of lithium batteries alone.  This means that plug-in hybrids using AFS Trinity’s system will go 150,000 miles without the need to change batteries.

The 25,000 mile life span for lithium ion battery-only plug-in hybrids means that American drivers would be purchasing new batteries every year.  Lithium batteries are extremely expensive to replace (about the cost to replace an internal combustion engine).

AFS Trinity combines lithium ion batteries with ultracapacitors that stretch out the life of the batteries making the entire plug-in hybrid system significantly more cost effective to operate.  This hybrid system is managed by advanced power electronics giving the system its extra kick.

Edward Furia, CEO of AFS Trinity, describes how his hybrid system works:

When a battery in a plug-in hybrid is subjected to high current demands, which occurs every time the vehicle accelerates, either from a stop light or while merging from an on ramp onto a freeway, resistive heating occurs in the battery. This resistive heating can easily become excessive with stop and go driving. Such excessive resistive heating damages a battery, and, in some cases can destroy it. In any event this phenomenon reduces the number of miles that can be driven during the life of the battery. In our system, however, the high current demand events are handled by the ultracapacitor, allowing the battery essentially to coast. Between such high current events, the battery trickled power into the ultracap, so that when the next acceleration occurs the ultracap is ready to handle it.

The hybrid system described above will go 40 miles on electricity alone at a speedy 87 mph.  Once the vehicle has gone that initial 40 miles, the gas engine kicks in and the vehicle then gets about 150 miles to the gallon with gas/electric usage.

OK, so AFS Trinity now has independent confirmation that its system combining lithium ion batteries with ultracapacitors works better than lithium batteries alone.  What now?  The company is willing to modify your current ride for a nifty chunk of change and it is also will license its proprietary plug-in hybrid powertrain system.

What does that mean for the average car owner?  At the moment nothing unless you have the money to go to California and have them modify your vehicle.  However, the big three American car manufacturers seeking a government handout, need to look at this technology as a way to become viable again.

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Entry was posted on Monday, November 17th, 2008 at 4:51 pm under Auto, Green Technology, Science and technology, Technology.

Read more entries by Susan Wilson.
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