GRRReen - Power Management Systems

Full-size electric cars are rolling off assembly lines around the world. The battery chemistry of choice in these new high-tech vehicles? Lithium-ion.

It’s the same power source used in electronic devices from cell phones and laptops to power drills. And it’s also the preferred choice for the millions of smaller electric vehicles used every day for transporting cargo and people. These vehicles include:

• Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs)
• Commercial turf vehicles, including mowers, greens rollers, etc.
• Utility vehicles, including stock-pickers, forklifts, etc.
• Recreational vehicles used for hunting, etc.
• Military vehicles

Lithium ion power delivers significant performance advantages to the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) who make these vehicles. But the transition from lead-acid batteries (or in some cases from internal combustion engines) to lithium ion power is not as simple as it might seem.

Here are five things you should know about lithium ion batteries in smaller electric vehicles:

1. It’s complicated.

Lead-acid batteries are big, dumb and heavy. Lithium-ion batteries are smaller, lighter and more complex. For one thing, they are divided into three-volt cells, and the cells do not always charge and discharge at uniform rates. Therefore, for optimum performance, the cells need to be managed, and that makes all the difference. Like thoroughbred horses, when they are properly cared for, they’ll perform like champions. The way to care for them is with a state-of-the-art Battery Management System (BMS) from GRRReen.

2. It’s going to cost more initially, but less over time.
Mining lithium, and then processing it into a safe and stable configuration that efficiently conducts electricity, (and in many cases, shipping it from China) is a lengthy and to this point, costly process. And that drives up the cost of lithium batteries. The good thing is, lithium-ion cells typically last three to four times as long as lead-acid batteries. That means that over time the cost per-cycle goes way down in comparison. Further, the U.S. government has invested heavily in domestic lithium-ion battery production. As more factories come on line in the next few years, pricing will become more competitive, which is good news for consumers.

3. It allows you to go places you couldn’t before.
Lithium ion affords a significant footprint advantage. With a smaller, lighter power source, engineers are free to design vehicles that are roomier and more innovative. Want an on-board cooler? We can do that. Want to go much further and faster because you’re carrying less weight? We can do that too. The constraints of a bulky, inefficient power source have been removed.

4. It’s better environmentally.
As their name indicates, lead acid batteries are filled with corrosive fluid. That fluid vents out gases, and occasionally it even spills, which is not pleasant for anyone within breathing range. Maintenance people have to add water to these batteries, wipe off the corroded terminals, and they need to be replaced frequently. Lithium ion batteries are sealed, won’t corrode, and don’t need replacement for years and years.

5. Performance and range are both dramatically improved.
Electric vehicles haven’t really taken off (so to speak) due to concerns about performance. There’s even a name for it: ‘range anxiety.’ Lithium ion power, managed properly, can dramatically extend the range of smaller electric vehicles. That means:

• Golf course maintenance workers using an electric greens mower can cover 18 holes, plus two practice greens, on one charge.
• People driving NEVs can confidently go to the grocery store and back with no worries.
• Workers who drive a cart can complete the shift, with no excuse for down time (sorry Mr. Plumber.)

Sometimes a technology comes along that enhances performance, saves money, and helps the environment.
That’s lithium ion power, properly managed with the GRRReen BMS, and deployed in electric vehicles.

Posted by Tom Stacey on August 23rd, 2010 Filed under Featured, Products • Tagged battery management, lithium ion, LSVs, NEVs