Revamped lead-acid battery could slash cost of hybrids
HYBRID-electric vehicles (HEVs) could become cheaper thanks to a breakthrough that would allow inexpensive lead-acid batteries to replace the nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries they now use. Similar battery systems could also be used to smooth out fluctuations in the power output of wind turbines.
Lead-acid batteries are cheap and can store large amounts of energy. But if they are repeatedly and rapidly charged and discharged - as happens when storing braking energy from an HEV and then releasing it when it accelerates - the battery's negative plate becomes coated with deposits. That limits its working life to a few years and is one reason why today's HEVs, such as the Toyota Prius, use NiMH batteries.
