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Altairnano Appoints EV Expert to Scientific Advisory Board
3 August 2006
Altair Nanotechnologies announced that Andrew Burke has joined the company’s Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Burke is on the Research Faculty at the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis.
Burke has been involved with electric vehicles since 1974 and joined the Research Faculty of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis in July 1994. He has performed research on and taught graduate courses on advanced electric driveline technologies specializing on batteries, ultracapacitors, fuel cells, and hybrid vehicle design, control and simulation.
This is an opportune time to be joining Altairnano’s Scientific Advisory Board. I have been involved with the design, modelling, testing and analysis of electric and hybrid vehicles for over 30 years and, based on my experience, I believe that Altairnano's exciting new battery technology represents a significant step toward the goal of designing and producing mass-market electric vehicles.
Altairnano’s scientists have developed unique battery electrode materials that can be used to construct a high power, safe, environmentally friendly battery that is rechargeable in minutes. These lithium titanate batteries have the potential to solve one of the biggest technical challenges to the mass adoption of electric vehicles. That is how to recharge the battery, given appropriate power recharge station infrastructure, in about the same time it takes you to fill the gas tank in a conventional vehicle.
—Andrew Burke
Altairnano focuses on nanotechnology applications to enable new potentially high-growth markets. In alternative energy, Altairnano is pioneering new battery materials and systems, with applications for hybrid and electric vehicles. (Earlier post.)
August 3, 2006 in Batteries, Electric (Battery), Hybrids | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBack (0)
Comments
Posted by: Andrey | August 03, 2006 at 01:26 AM
Charge 20-40kwh battery pack required for any decent range EV in minutes ?
Thats some very very serious amps ....
I'd like to see a powertool battery recharged in minutes first, heck even a cellphone would do.
Posted by: kert | August 03, 2006 at 01:31 AM
This is where all the hydrogen money should be invested.
Posted by: cs1992 | August 03, 2006 at 03:54 AM
Kert:
There is opinion (which I totally agree), that battery of power and energy output required to EV (even PHEV) could not be fast charged. The best we can hope to is about 50% charge in 30 minutes, however opinions differ.
Posted by: Andrey | August 03, 2006 at 07:35 AM
Kert& Andrey:
A 40Kwh battery pack can easily be configured as 4 banks of 10 Kwh each.
Recharging foru 10Kwh banks simultaneously form 4 parralel sources would reduce the current by 4 times in from ech source.
Raising the battery bank voltage to 660 + Volts would further reduce the current required for quick charges.
Posted by: Harvey D. | August 03, 2006 at 07:51 AM
As the previous post and Tesla design point out, the next revolution in EV engineering will be in pack design, to take advantage of better battery chemistries, treating redundant arrays of batteries more like the sectors of a hard drive, and less like a string of christmas lights. Altairnano should have engineering expertise onboard to encourage their customers to use this technology in large packs.
Also, as pack sizes and costs increase the potential for leasing to mitigate the initial purchase price grows. Altairnano should also connect with leasing companies to assist their customers setting up these financial mechanisms for end-users.
Posted by: Ron Fischer | August 03, 2006 at 11:29 AM
I wish the educational aspect of this technology could be introduced at the elementary school level. Children should learn from an early age that cars of the future should not be dependent upon fossil fuels.
adrianakau@aol.com
Retired science teacher
Posted by: Adrian Akau | August 03, 2006 at 01:16 PM
I would like to see companies like this one develope a standerdized battery, in say 120, 240, and 360 volt small format sizes. It would reduce cost for the end user who would run them in parallel to achive their desired energy capacity.
Posted by: BKB | August 03, 2006 at 03:13 PM
The A123Systems batteries currently used by DeWalt can be recharged in 5 minutes. The currents and voltages required to fully charge a car like the Tesla in 15 minutes or less could be carried over standard 4-0 welding cable.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | August 05, 2006 at 09:42 PM
Here is how we need to start people thinking about mobility - Miles Per Dollar (MPD) not mpg. If your car gets 30 mpg and gas costs $3/gal you get 10 MPD. The Tesla vehicle gets 100 MPD. Optimised for efficiency instead of performance EV builders can do even better. Adrian is right. This will take a new generation to "get it".
Posted by: Spike | August 06, 2006 at 12:29 PM
i don't if full EV's running only on batteries will ever be a option,
i don't think so, there are better alternatives
hydrogen is a much better alternative if used for example like CNG or mixed with CNG;
Posted by: aaronhasnoballs | August 07, 2006 at 10:53 AM
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About a week ago Altair also appointed to Scientific Advisory Board John Midgley, Ph.D. Dr. Midgley, CEO of Ultradots, has had a distinguished career in the advanced materials industry both as technologist and CEO of leading companies.