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German battery could jump-start electric cars
By Yoann Besnard on 11 December 2007 | 
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A German company might have found the solution to the biggest problem encountered by current batteries: too large, overheating and limited power. Indeed, Li-Tec unveiled new batteries which “take up 30% less volume than those from Toyota“ and “allow you to go three times further for the same weight than French models, “ according to Li Tec director Tim Schaefer.
This is an unusual bold statement but the German company received support from Bosch and Bosch's spokeman didn't hesitate to declare that the batteries were “a step towards totally electric cars.“ What differentiates the Li-Tec batteries from others is that the electrodes are separated by a flexible ceramic membrane which provides greater thermal stability. Overheating is a major problem encountered by current batteries. Toyota postponed the next-generation Prius due to overheating problems.
Despite such an enthusiastic tone, the batteries are at an early stage and there is still a long path before producing the batteries at an industrial scale. Li-Tec has joined a consortium that includes Bosch, chemical giant BASF and German car maker Volkswagen to develop the product. German industry is determined to take the lead on batteries and electric cars. How will Toyota react?
Source: li-tec.de
