Batteries

Lithium Air: The Quest To Build The Electric Vehicle Battery That Will Make Gas Guzzlers Irrelevant

BY Ariel Schwartz | 03-06-2012 | 9:22 AM | LITHIUM ION

The same kind of battery that’s powering your laptop is what powers electric cars. That doesn’t make much sense, so scientists are hard at work on next-gen batteries that will make fears of running out of charge a thing of the ... READ MORE›

A Newspaper Is Good For Something: New Batteries Can Be Powered By Newsprint

BY Michael Coren | 01-06-2012 | 8:22 AM | RECYCLING

While still in the experimental stage, a new kind of battery can run off of discarded paper, producing electricity with only a little water as a by-product. Forget recycling, soon you'll power your home with yesterday's news. READ MORE›

Self-Healing Circuits Could Keep Your Gadgets Running Longer

BY Ariel Schwartz | 12-21-2011 | 8:26 AM | UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Say so long to the planned obsolescence of your tech toys. A new breakthrough could keep circuits running longer by filling in breaks with liquid metal. Does this mean no more trips to the Genius Bar? READ MORE›

Coalpuccino: Foamy Carbon Could Revolutionize Batteries

BY Kit Eaton | 11-22-2011 | 8:27 AM | CARBON FOAM

What if you could recharge batteries an infinite number of times? New batteries powered by bubbly carbon could do the trick. READ MORE›

Rechargeable Batteries That Might Actually Get Recharged

BY Alex Goldmark | 11-17-2011 | 11:43 AM | JOSH RUGALO

Rechargeable batteries might be more expensive, but they actually save money. And yet, no one buys them. Will a new battery recycling company shift the battery model? READ MORE›

Running The Grid Off Giant Laptop Batteries

BY Michael Coren | 11-07-2011 | 4:25 PM | RENEWABLE ENERGY

Some days, the wind doesn't blow, or the sun doesn't shine. For those renewable energy-less days, power companies are developing giant batteries to hold excess power and then release it during peak hours or when renewable power isn't ... READ MORE›

Wildcat Discovery Technologies May Have Just Pumped 65% More Life Into Batteries

BY Ariel Schwartz | 03-15-2011 | 12:40 AM | ETHONOMICS

The San Diego startup thinks it has made a breakthrough that could give your your laptop, cell phone, and electric vehicle batteries between 25% and 65% more juice.READ MORE›

How Japan's Quake Disaster May Damage Tech Business

BY Kit Eaton | 03-14-2011 | 7:57 AM | INNOVATION

The ongoing crisis in Japan is an enormous human tragedy. And there are less immediately pressing but still considerable side effects--Japan is a key location for much of the world's high tech industry. From NAND flash to GPS, here's how the earthquake and tsunami will impact the industry. READ MORE›

How the Future of Big Tobacco Could Be Tiny Lithium Batteries

BY Kit Eaton | 12-08-2010 | 8:02 AM | INNOVATION

The tobacco mosaic virus is a destructive beast infecting over a hundred different species of plants, including tomatoes. But it may have a weird eco benefit: Incorporated into lithium batteries, it can increase storage capacity ten times.READ MORE›

Insert Batteries Any Way You Like With Microsoft Instaload

BY Dan Nosowitz | 07-02-2010 | 7:27 PM | MAGAZINE

A solution to a problem I didn't know existed: Microsoft Instaload lets you insert batteries in either direction.READ MORE›

GM Doubles Size of EV Battery Lab

BY Ariel Schwartz | 04-12-2010 | 12:47 PM | ETHONOMICS

Look no further than GM for evidence that electric vehicles are about to explode in popularity. The auto giant recently invested $8 million to double the size of its automotive battery lab--already the biggest and most advanced ...READ MORE›

Got Spare Juice in Your Electric Car? Sell It Back to the Grid, Earn Cash

BY Kit Eaton | 02-19-2010 | 10:52 AM | INNOVATION

Why work from home when you can earn money from the comfort of your EV? Here's how!READ MORE›

Tesla Teams Up With Panasonic for EV Batteries

BY Ariel Schwartz | 01-07-2010 | 9:52 PM | ETHONOMICS

Panasonic scored the jackpot this week with Tesla Motors' announcement that the electronics giant will be the automaker's sole supplier of electric vehicle battery packs. As part of the partnership, Tesla and Panasonic will also ...READ MORE›

GM Is First American Automaker to Open Battery Pack Factory in U.S.

BY Ariel Schwartz | 01-05-2010 | 4:58 PM | ETHONOMICS

Oh, GM. How we love and loathe you at the same time. The same company that aided in the obliteration of the U.S. auto industry is now taking small steps to build it back up. GM's prized Chevy Volt plug-in electric vehicle won't be ...READ MORE›

ARPA-E Program Gives Out $100 Million to "Moonshot" Green Tech

BY Ariel Schwartz | 12-08-2009 | 7:47 AM | ETHONOMICS

This past October, the U.S. Department of Energy's ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy) program gave $151 million to so-called "moonshot" green tech companies that are working on projects that might not otherwise have a ...READ MORE›

Nissan Claims It Can Double EV Battery Range by 2015

BY Ariel Schwartz | 12-02-2009 | 6:00 PM | ETHONOMICS

Battery life is the bane of of electric vehicle manufacturers. At this point, batteries aren't advanced enough for cars to go significant distances without either switching out for a fresh battery or recharging at a designated ...READ MORE›

Xtreme Power's 20-Year Battery Works Even After Being Machine-Gunned

BY Ariel Schwartz | 11-25-2009 | 1:00 PM | ETHONOMICS

Watch out, Duracell. Xtreme Power may have you beat on the durability front with its PowerCell battery, a cheap dry-cell battery that lasts up to 20 years and keeps working after a machine gun blasts it repeatedly. The fiberglass ...READ MORE›

Sanyo Decides Batteries and TV Aren't Enough, Enters Home Market

BY Ariel Schwartz | 11-19-2009 | 4:28 PM | ETHONOMICS

Apparently, consumer electronics brand Sanyo isn't content with dominating the lithium ion market. Now the company has announced that it is building entire homes equipped with its li-ion batteries. The recently announced Sanyo Homes ...READ MORE›

Fluidic Energy Bets on Next-Gen Metal-Air Batteries

BY Ariel Schwartz | 11-05-2009 | 3:06 PM | ETHONOMICS

Lithium-ion batteries will most likely power the next generation of electric vehicles, but Arizona-based startup Fluidic Energy is already looking further into the future. The company, which is betting on a metal-air ionic liquid ...READ MORE›

Nissan Offers a Second Life to Electric Car Batteries

BY Ariel Schwartz | 10-20-2009 | 2:57 PM | ETHONOMICS

Lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries are often the most expensive part of an EV, jacking up the price of what might be an affordable sedan to a price that is out of reach for most consumers. The solution: Nissan wants to recycle ...READ MORE›