Scientists from ColoradoState University presented their prototype design for a new, lithium-ion battery. The new lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery has already been available in a prototype version, with a three-dimensional interior architecture that could be perfect for the electric cars.
Researches claim the 3-D lithium-ion battery can be recharged in minutes instead of the typical hours it takes to charge standard lithium batteries currently being used in electric cars and several other devices across the nation.
The leader of the scientific team, Amy Preito, stated the group currently has a working prototype that is about the size of a cell-phone battery, that takes about 12 minutes to recharge compared to two hours for a conventional lithium-ion battery. The battery also can be discharged over twice as many times as a conventional lithium ion battery at high discharge rates.
"The time needed to recharge cell phones, laptops and other electronics products certainly can be an occasional nuisance," Prieto noted. "However, it certainly doesn't keep anyone from buying these products. Recharge time may be a much more important factor for electric cars. You make a rest stop on the turnpike, and you want to recharge quickly, just like you fill-it-up at the gas pump. It's going to take a new generation of batteries to do so, and we hope our 3-D battery is poised to be at the forefront. If our battery works to its potential, it could be the ideal battery for an electric car."