ENVIRONMENTAL VEHICLES ‘94

...National Challenges for the Commercialization of Clean Fuel Vehicles...

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
25-26 January 1994
Dearborn Inn Dearborn, Michigan

THEORETICAL LIMITS TO APPLICATION OF BATTERIES FOR AUTOMOBILE PROPULSION (SYSTEM STUDY)

Alex J. Severinsky, Ph. D. General Partner PAICE R&D, L.P.

ABSTRACT
A theoretical electrochemical cell is designed for the highest practical energy density. All materials are selected on the basis of bonding energies of the elements in the periodic table. It is shown that physical limit to energy density of batteries is 13 times larger than in lead-acid batteries and an optimistic practical limit is approximately 450 Wh/kg. Engineering estimates are made for required weight and optimistic cost of such imaginary batteries in the existing off-the-shelf passenger automobiles. Comparison is made between economics of gasoline, ethanol, and such imaginary batteries as sources of energy for automobile propulsion.

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