What is maximum life of batteries being used in electric cars ?

Question

What is maximum life of batteries being used in electric cars ?

Answer 1

100,000 miles for asymmetric supercapacitor and a lead acid battery http://www.batteryvehiclesociety.org.uk/...

10,000 to 15,000 charge cycles for Li batteries that can be charged in 10 minutes http://altairnano.com/markets_energy_sys...

(at one charge per day = 27 years) used in the Phoenix SUT http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com

PS FrFlyer "Power companies need storage for excess off peak power" -This can be done with the batteries in use for cars, see http://www.acpropulsion.com/technology/v... a car with a 200mile range has a lot of spare capacity and it is already distributed around the grid through a suitable management system.

Answer 2

apm

The one EV car I currently have (have 2 vehicles that run on hydrogen also) I converted from a vw bug and runs on 12 optima yellow tops. iv'e had them in there for about 5 years no change in charge. As I live completely off the grid all my electricity comes from solar panels and 2 wind generators, which I also built.

the following is cut from a guide i offer at agua-luna com to convert any vehicle to ev. it describes some differnt ev battery life charictoristics better then i could rewrite here again.

"The lifespan of a deep cycle battery will vary considerably with how it is used, how it is maintained and charged, temperature, and other factors. In extreme cases, it can vary to extremes - we have seen L-16's killed in less than a year by severe overcharging, and we have a large set of surplus telephone batteries that sees only occasional (5-10 times per year) heavy service that are now over 25 years old. We have seen gelled cells destroyed in one day when overcharged with a large automotive charger. We have seen golf cart batteries destroyed without ever being used in less than a year because they were left sitting in a hot garage without being charged. Even the so-called "dry charged" (where you add acid when you need them) have a shelf life of 18 months at most. They are not totally dry - they are actually filled with acid, the plates formed and charged, then the acid is dumped out.

These are some typical (minimum - maximum) typical expectations for batteries if used in deep cycle service. There are so many variables, such as depth of discharge, maintenance, temperature, how often and how deep cycled, etc. that it is almost impossible to give a fixed number.

Starting: 3-12 months

Marine: 1-6 years

Golf cart: 2-6 years

AGM deep cycle: 4-7 years

Gelled deep cycle: 2-5 years

Deep cycle (L-16 type etc): 4-8 years

Rolls-Surrette premium deep cycle: 7-15 years

Industrial deep cycle (Crown and Rolls 4KS series): 10-20+ years

Telephone (float): 2-20 years. These are usually special purpose "float service", but often appear on the surplus market as "deep cycle". They can vary considerably, depending on age, usage, care, and type.

NiFe (alkaline): 5-35 years

NiCad: 1-20 years "

Not sure if you’re interesting in doing converting, but I’d be willing to walk you step by step threw the conversion. I've converted 3 of my own cars (a datsun truck, ford ban, and a vw bug) and a few for neighbors. I've also converted cars to run on hydrogen, ethanol and biodiesel, by far EV is the easiest.

If you’re interested here’s what it would entitle…

- The engine compartment is first cleaned out of any gasoline components.

- Electric components are then installed in exchange.

- A battery bank is built and incorporated.

- Existing starter and driving systems are connected.

- Turn the key, step on the gas pedal sending more energy to the electric motor, & thus more power to the drive system, which in return creates more speed, more acceleration.

- The system has normal automotive top speeds and acceleration, typical to the vehicle your modifying. If your top speed was 85 mph and your acceleration was 1 mile per min, then this will be what your left with after the conversion.

The methods are extremely simple, making the process possible for anyone, everyone, ANYWHERE.

Typical tools, hardware & supplies are used, making access to parts available for all.

Electric Conversions can be easily accomplished in ANY model vehicle, even tractors, Generators, types of machinery, etc.

Project lengths range from 1 day to 1 month.

If you’re interested I wrote a guide on it which is available at http://www.agua-luna.com/guides.html

Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at http://www.agua-luna.com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.

Dan Martin

Retired Boeing Engineer now living 100% Off-the-Grid with my family, using Alternative Energy & loving every minute.

for more info visit agua-luna com or email me at [e-mail]

Answer 3

I' m not as knowledgeable about the batteries as some of the posters here, but thought I would make one point.

There are schemes being developed where you could own an electric or hybrid car and not have to own the batteries.  Power companies need storage for excess off peak power.  They would take the batteries from cars after they have outlived their usefullness there, and use them to store power.  They still have enough capacity after they have become to weak to run the car.