Battery technology did not change for decades. The lead acid battery was the state of the art for as long as we can remember until the advent of the personal computer and other personal devices. Then a rapid evolution from lead acid to Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) then to Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) and finally to Lithium-ion (Li-ion) chemistries happened. In each step of the evolution the batteries became more powerful by weight and by volume plus they could be recharged faster.

 

Li-ion is now the battery of choice for laptop computers and cell phones, however, many of us remember the early scares caused by battery fires in laptops. In our judgement Li-ion chemistry is not quite ready for use in family cars. Several variations of Li-ion chemistry such as Lithium Polymer and Lithium Phosphate are competing for the market by focusing on the safety issues. Genovation is using Absorbed Glass Mat batteries (AGM) which are an advanced form of lead acid batteries.  AGM batteries are maintenance free, sealed batteries that weigh less, have greater cycle life, and are more efficient. This is due to the internal design of AGMs. Rather than hanging lead plates in an acid bath like traditional lead batteries, AGMs use a highly absorbent fiberglass mat that is tightly packed between the lead plates. This design prevents AGMs from leaking or exploding, even in a severe crash. The ability of AGMs to absorb significant vibration, G forces and heat also make them well suited for EV applications.

We will move to Li-ion when they meet our SCWARE factors.

 

Our car has a high voltage string of batteries to power the traction motor and a 12V auxiliary battery to power the auxiliary motor and safety modules plus all the normal 12V circuits of a family car such as the radio and windshield wipers.