A 52 kWh supercapacitor, backed by non-oil heavyweight investors.

12% the cost of LiIon, charges in minutes, millions of cycles possible, 250 mile range. Production this year for EVs.

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007....html#comments

 

While it looks very interesting, no actual supercaps have been tested. I'll get excited when a second party can evaluate them, both in terms of performance and safety. I would want to be sure it would not explode if shorted or crushed in an accident. 50KWh is about the same energy as 140lbs of TNT. (I know gasoline is also explosive, but modern cars rarely explode in car crashes)

 

Whohoo!!

I wait with enthusiastic but guarded anticipation.

Phoenixmotorcars anounced their cars with Nanosafe batteries more than a year and a half before production date WITH an actual car people gets to drive around.

EEStor and Zenn is to produce late this year? Without anything to show now?

Still, any advancement in electrical storage technology is another nail in the coffin for the 'ol ICE.

 

I think the supercaps have a role to smooth out power into and out of a battery pack. But the energy density and risks of sudden discharge are real. As a way to reduce high C charge and discharge rates, supercaps would be a great solution and practical today.

Bob Wilson

 

I'm guardedly optimistic, and sincerely pleased.

Can everyone see what high gas prices do? They make investment on alternative energy sources a feasible business. This also means new technologies which, if the USA can master early on, we will regain some of our technological leadership that has been lost.

I hope oil prices remain high long enough for this, and other promising technologies, to flourish.

 

My local high-end import dealer "First Class Import" has a ZENN EV along with a couple Smarts. I pulled in to take a look at the Zenn today.

I was excited to find out more, but what I found wasn't to exciting.

http://www.zenncars.com/specifications/specs_index.html

25mph max with a 35 mile range.

Hopefully the supercapacitors boost the speed and range significantly.