Lead-acid batteries demonstrate extraordinary potential for hybrid vehicles
With more hybrid vehicles hitting the road, there will soon be new meaning for the old saying “putting the pedal to the metal.” That’s because lead is geared up to become a metal of choice for batteries that power the next revolution of automobiles.
“Lead-acid batteries are found in most internal combustion engine vehicles, but that does not guarantee a comparable role in the future,” said Bruce Neil, president and chief executive officer of The Doe Run Company. “The technology used in conventional cars today is also well-suited for the hybrids of tomorrow.”
PHOTO CAPTION: Doe Run participated in the Advanced Lead-Acid Battery Consortium’s 100,000-mile test drive of a Honda Insight specially equipped with a high-performance lead-acid battery system.
No longer taking a backseat
Hybrid vehicles, which get their power from a combination of electricity and gasoline, are increasingly popular due to fluctuating gasoline prices and environmental concerns.
Many hybrids currently use nickel-metal hydride batteries, with some electric bikes and scooters alternatively employing lithium-ion batteries. The industry views lead-acid batteries as a transitional technology that will complement the use of new power sources.
“The potential for lead-acid batteries in hybrid vehicles has been demonstrated,” Neil explained to industry leaders in October at the Metal Bulletin Asian Lead & Zinc Conference in Shanghai, China. “We need to get more cars on the road employing lead-acid battery technology and provide more first-hand experience with the advantages of this proven technology.”
Doe Run participated in the Advanced Lead-Acid Battery Consortium’s 100,000-mile test drive of a Honda Insight specially equipped with a high-performance lead-acid battery system. This milestone test, completed in January 2008, demonstrated that a hybrid lead-acid system is at least as durable as nickel-metal hydride, as well as more efficient and less expensive.
“The single term ‘hybrid’ covers a range of vehicle designs, from ‘micro’ hybrids to fully electric plug-in models,” said John Likarish, manager of marketing at Doe Run and the company’s representative to the consortium. “These lead-acid battery systems have the capability of working well in most of these categories, and we believe further research can only expand this potential.”
The remarkable 99 percent recycle rate for lead-acid batteries is the highest among consumer products. By comparison, the recycle rates are 78 percent for newspapers, 72 percent for office-type papers and 49 percent for aluminum cans (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: 2007 Facts and Figures).
The “UltraBattery” that powered the Honda Insight was developed by Furukawa Battery Company of Japan and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization of Australia. A super-capacitor carbon electrode, combined with a lead-acid battery plate in a single cell, dramatically extended the power and battery life.
Compared to conventional batteries, the “UltraBattery” has a life cycle that is at least four times longer and produces 50 percent more power than a current battery. It has the added advantage of being significantly less expensive than the alternatives.
Electric bicycles and scooters, which are extremely popular in China, also have environmental benefits, compared to conventional automobiles. Many of these vehicles run on low cost, high performance lead-acid batteries, which offer a recyclability advantage over other options.
“The future use of lead-acid batteries in hybrids – as well as their current use in e-bikes and scooters – will lead to decreased carbon dioxide emissions, creating a cleaner environment for future generations,” Likarish said.
On the road, again
Performance and price aren’t the only selling points for lead-acid batteries in hybrids. There’s also an established infrastructure for supply and recycling.
The remarkable 99 percent recycle rate for lead-acid batteries is the highest among consumer products. By comparison, the recycle rates are 78 percent for newspapers, 72 percent for office-type papers and 49 percent for aluminum cans (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report Municipal Solid Waste in the United States: 2007 Facts and Figures).
PHOTO CAPTION: The Honda Insight test showed that a hybrid lead-acid battery system is at least as durable as nickel-metal hydride, as well as more efficient and less expensive.
One of the most advanced lead recycling facilities in the world, Doe Run’s Buick Resource Recycling Division annually converts some 13.5 million lead-acid batteries back into raw materials for new battery production.
“Recycling is a service to our customers and contributes to the continuous lifecycle of lead,” said Neil, who also shared his expertise in March 2008 as keynote speaker of the International Lead Conference in London, England.
Future challenges will test Doe Run and its customers. The EPA recently issued new and dramatically stricter air quality standards for lead. Battery manufacturers will have to contend with these new emissions requirements as they strive to meet market demand for lead-acid batteries.
Turning a corner
Batteries represent approximately 80 percent of the world’s lead consumption, Neil said. The growing demand for lead-acid batteries in hybrid vehicles should provide Doe Run with the opportunity to maintain its position as one of the world’s largest lead suppliers, despite a dipping market.
The standard lead-acid automotive battery starts more than 600 million passenger vehicles globally and also powers other modes of transportation, including boats, golf carts and fork lifts.
“Lead has what it takes to play a leading role in a more sustainable world tomorrow,” Neil said.
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