Better Battery Technology

I have a dream. In my dream the United States exclusively relies on renewable sources of electricity. A mixture of solar, wind, and ocean current electricity will sufficiently supply every person with the energy they need. In addition to this exclusive source of renewable energy, my dream paints a portrait of transportation that is powered by electricity from these renewable sources. Cars that plug in to their garages at night, high-speed trains with electric lines attached, and airplanes containing large non-explosive batteries in place of gas tanks.

All of this is totally possible. If this country could muster up the courage to break the stronghold that the coal, oil, and nuclear industries have on our energy policy, we could easily begin building a renewable infrastructure that would ultimately save money, create more jobs, and make America the leader in energy innovation.

While we wait for our leaders to become courageous, the battery industry is developing more and more technologically advanced batteries for use in electric cars. Today, Toshiba announced a new battery that can be charged to 90% capacity in less than 5 minutes. That means an electric car could be charged in the time it takes to run into the store for milk. The battery is currently being tested in construction machines like fork lifts, but they could see mainstream placement in automobiles by 2010.

These batteries could charge about 5,000 times before losing their ability to take an electric current. They are safer than lithium batteries, so they will not explode or overheat. Plus, they can withstand temperatures as cold as -22 degrees.

My dream isn't as wild as you might think. Read more HERE