Electro Energy technology to power hybrids for CalCars' PRIUS+ program

Oct. 26, 2005
Electro Energy Inc. is developing a prototype battery pack-–a custom version of its bipolar nickel metal hydride battery-–for the California Cars Initiative (CalCars) Toyota PRIUS+ test vehicle.

Electro Energy Inc. is developing a prototype battery pack-–a custom version of its bipolar nickel metal hydride battery-–for the California Cars Initiative (CalCars) Toyota PRIUS+ test vehicle. The project retrofits the Prius with a high-energy content battery that becomes the vehicle's primary power source for local travel, eliminating the use of gasoline for short trips. For longer trips, the car can revert to conventional hybrid operation, which uses a combination of gasoline and battery power. The battery can be recharged at off-peak hours, further supporting energy conservation.

Ron Gremban, the lead technologist on CalCars' PRIUS+ project, said Electro Energy's prototype pack has lower internal resistance than the Prius' original hybrid battery, resulting in higher power availability and lower energy losses. It is expected to improve average typical mixed-driving gasoline consumption and range performance to 90 mpg plus electricity for the first 40 to 50 miles after each charge, without compromising the Prius' original performance of 45 mpg."

Sponsored Recommendations

Highly Integrated 20A Digital Power Module for High Current Applications

March 20, 2024
Renesas latest power module delivers the highest efficiency (up to 94% peak) and fast time-to-market solution in an extremely small footprint. The RRM12120 is ideal for space...

Empowering Innovation: Your Power Partner for Tomorrow's Challenges

March 20, 2024
Discover how innovation, quality, and reliability are embedded into every aspect of Renesas' power products.

Article: Meeting the challenges of power conversion in e-bikes

March 18, 2024
Managing electrical noise in a compact and lightweight vehicle is a perpetual obstacle

Power modules provide high-efficiency conversion between 400V and 800V systems for electric vehicles

March 18, 2024
Porsche, Hyundai and GMC all are converting 400 – 800V today in very different ways. Learn more about how power modules stack up to these discrete designs.

Comments

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Electronic Design, create an account today!