Electric vehicles face a road block in the form of battery technology and we can expect to see lots of news in this space in coming years as huge companies throw resources into finding a solution to battery range and recharging times. One of the promising candidates for improving battery performance is Toshiba's SCiB technology. The company has now announced that it's working with Mitsubishi Motors to fast track the development of these batteries for EV applications.
The SCiB™ – or Super Charge ion Battery – is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that boasts minimal capacity loss even after 6,000 charge-discharge cycles, high levels of safety and rapid charging capability with the ability to charge to 90 percent of capacity in as fast as 5 minutes.
For EV applications Toshiba has developed a new anode material and a new electrolyte to improve safety and rapid recharging. According to Toshiba, the long life will promote reduction in the waste that results from battery replacement, reducing the impact on the environment.
The SCiB will also be used for electric bicycles, electric motorcycles and for power storage in a microgrid system.
Toshiba will begin production next year at Kashiwazaki Operations, a new facility in Niigata prefecture.
More info at Toshiba's SCiB website.
