I wrote the following individual/company awhile back to inquire about the battery they are developing...that is said to be as good or better than lithium. I got the following reply that I'll share here with the forum.
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Thanks for your interest in our battery. The First Generation Tri-Polar Lead Cobalt Battery was the best battery in the country for electric cars. It was developed by our sister company, Electric Fuel Propulsion Corporation of Detroit (EFP) in 1966. EFP was the first company in the world to re-introduce electric cars to the world, in 1967, since Detroit Electric closed its doors in 1920. Even today, it is the best lead-acid battery in the country for EV purposes.
We are in the process of developing a new battery made with lead foam grids which, according to engineering studies, will be three times better than the original battery in energy density. Attached is a White Paper on the new battery and a General Motors test report on the original battery.
Apollo is now seeking to raise new capital in order to go back into production. When production has started again, I will send you final test reports on the new battery. We believe it will compete with Lithium-Ion Batteries, but will not have the drawbacks of Li-Ion such as heat, fire, explosion under high current densities, and extremely high price.
Members of your Forum are invited to contact us for further information at: raronsson [at] electricauto.com
Best regards.
APOLLO ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC.
Robert R. Aronsson
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Interesting to see where this goes....
Gushar
'Cept it's only LiCo and LiPo are volatile.
Plus lithium is something like, what, six times as energy dense as lead by weight?
But, if they can really make them for cheap (like as cheap as normal lead-acid), then they may be on to something.
The author of this post isn't responsible for any injury, disability or dismemberment, death, financial loss, illness, addiction, hereditary disease, or any other undesirable consequence or general misfortune resulting from use of the "information" contai
Yeah - don't you just hate the FUD competitors love to spread about "lithium is unsafe"? Geez.
There's another company out there that's doing a similar thing with good old lead acid - they're called FireFly and they're also looking at ways to increase the energy density.
With both these folks I think they're good ideas but will likely loose in a battle with LiFe because the prices of LiFe will continue to fall and the price of lead continues to rise.
And then of course there's EEStor with it's ultracap waiting in the wings...
John H. Founder of Current Motor Company - opinions on this site belong to me; not to my employer
Remember: " 'lectric for local. diesel for distance" - JTH, Amp Bros || "No Gas.
Cobalt is the most expensive element in lithium ion batteries.
XM-3000...
-DC-DC converter replaced with a Dell D220P-01 power supply.
-72V mod
-Expensive bank charger until I come up with something better... Still trying.
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Lead cobalt is one of the best batteries and was used by NASA in most all of its old and recent crafts.
Lead cobalt (depending on type) can be charged by exchanging electrolite, dump used electrolite, replace with charged.
Like lead acid it does not need a bms, can be overcharged safely, does not need to be balanced and is relatively cheap due to less complex manufacturing costs. (at least compared to lithium)
It also even in its more simplistic form had the same energy density as Nickle metal. The batteries easily lasted 30 years according to the few that owned them and they could be abused discharged fully etc without significant issues.
heck they were made by hand for NASA. It is beyond me why no one has bothered manufacturing them. Perhaps we need to look at the patent and see if we can replicate them for personal use by using lead acid donor batteries.
The price of lead is now one third what it was a year ago, now about 50 cents a pound. The cost of my latest order from Greensaver Batteries was down about 30% from what it was 6 months ago.
Eric Fisher
www.SiliconeBatteriesUSA.com