The Power of Balance
Considered by the world’s major automakers to be the near-term solution to concerns over climate-changing vehicle emissions and high fuel consumption, Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) combine a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) with an electric motor powered by batteries. Some of the engine output is converted to electric energy and used to recharge the battery on the move. The ICE can be powered by gasoline, diesel, biofuel, or hydrogen.
The energy needed to propel the vehicle comes from fuel converted into mechanical energy in the engine. The battery is only used to provide boost for acceleration and to recover a portion of the braking energy. A Hybrid vehicle can reduce fuel consumption by up to 50% and emissions reductions by 90%.
The Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries for these “charge sustaining” hybrids have relatively low energy capacity and high power capabilities. Lithium Ion batteries offer many advantages over NiMH batteries for HEV applications:
- lower battery weight (approximately 50% of the cell weight),
- increased battery capacity (up to 100%),
- lower operating temperatures and lower cooling system demands,
- higher energy efficiency,
- higher cycle life, and
- lower costs, given the rapidly increasing price of nickel.
The ALP Connection
ALP has developed Lithium Ion battery packs and control software for use in hybrid cars and other vehicles. ALP’s battery packs weigh 40% less and have over 60% more capacity than a comparable NiMH pack. ALP’s pack operates at average temperatures 5-10 degrees lower than an OEM pack in the same conditions, with approximately half the resistive losses, which increases the overall system efficiency.
ALP’s HEV packs can be customized to provide adequate voltage and power output for hybrid vehicles of different sizes and power train configurations, from subcompact mild hybrids to series hybrid transit buses.
