One of the drawbacks to owning or driving an electric vehicle would be the limited amount of range that one can drive it before requiring a recharge. This is not so bad if you use your EV mainly for short trips and can change it when you get back home, but due to the lack of EV charging stations available publicly, traveling long distances with an EV may not be as feasible as most would like. The good news for those eager to adopt an EV is that IBM is currently working on a new battery that they claim will give EVs a range of up to 500 miles before requiring a charge.
This new lithium-ion battery can apparently achieve such a feat thanks to innovative lithium-air cells. This technology would not only allow the battery to achieve high energy densities, but would also be lighter and would ultimately allow the battery to store more energy, thus providing the EV with more juice in between charges. IBM expects a prototype to be ready as soon as 2013, and if all goes well, the new battery could very well go on sale within the next eight years. For those who might be a bit more scientifically inclined, head on over to the source link below for a slightly more detailed explanation on how the battery would work.
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