One of the big problems associated with electric and hybrid vehicles is the battery technology. Not only are batteries expensive, they also take up valuable space inside the car and add weight, knackering the efficiency of the vehicle and blunting its performance.
Happily, Volvo has been working on a replacement for traditional batteries which could eliminate many of the problems associated with battery technology. A new material consisting of carbon-fibre, "nano structured batteries and super capacitors" could allow energy to be stored in the car's bodywork and structural components, negating the need for separate batteries.
The material is essentially a carbon-fibre sandwich, with two slices of carbon-fibre encasing the battery technology within. The carbon-fibre laminate is layered, shaped and then cured in an oven to set and harden. The material can be formed into any shape so it can be used to replace any part of the vehicle, allowing everything from the bootlid to the door panels to become an energy storage device.
Like a normal battery, the material can be recharged through the use of brake energy regeneration or by plugging the car into the mains. Volvo claims that the material not only charges and stores energy faster than conventional batteries, but is also strong and pliant. It's also believed that by using the technology, the overall kerb weight of electric vehicles could be cut by more than 15 per cent.
Volvo has tested the new technology on an experimental version of the S80; however, it will almost certainly be a few years until it filters down onto the firm's road cars.
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