Yesterday I wrote about homes having their own wind power. Today, I came across an article where Toyota is planning to develop batteries for homes to run off of.  Now if, the wind power could charge the batteries, we might really be on to something.

Toyota Motor Corp. is working with Toyota Home to devise a power storage system to be used by as early as 2011. A home power system will be more practical for plug-in hybrid cars due out by 2010.

Their goal is to

1. design a device that costs hundreds of thousands of yen
2. is small enough to fit in the home or be placed outside
3. can store electricity during off-peak night hours
4. can store power generated by solar cells
5. can make power available for lighting and other uses in the home during the day
6. be a high-speed charging device that can power up plug-in cars.

Toyota’s prototype uses lithium ion batteries and can store some 5 kilowatt-hours of electricity. This is enough to meet the daytime energy needs of the average household.

But, can you drive the house?

Only then would Toyota REALLY have something.

Source: Nikkei (sub req)

Lithium ion batteries that are in the market today are already being hailed as major breakthroughs and are helping both the automobile industry as well as the electronic field in producing gadgets that are smaller, lighter and far more efficient than ever before.

But how about turning that up a couple of notches by creating cell phones that are fully charged in a matter of a few seconds and electric cars that can challenge an F1 vehicle for the top speed? As astounding as that sounds, the researchers at the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are moving ahead in that direction.

A couple of material experts at MIT have been in the process of designing a new Li-Ion cell that unlike traditional li-ion batteries, charge up faster and can even discharge energy in one single burst when needed. They’ve used a Lithium Phosphate coating to the existing batteries, the experts have succeeded in creating nano-scale tunnels for the swift movement of the electrons.

Considering that it’s just an enhancement to a technology that is already commercial, we’re expecting it to hit the market in the coming years.

Source: AFP
Image by kqedquest

There’s got to be a better way. There’s got to be a better way. Repeat after me. There’s got to be a better way. At least two more ‘better ways’ have taken a step forward in the past couple of days.

Germany’s Robert Bosch GmbH has agreed to work with South Korea’s Samsung SDI Co to develop the next-generation batteries for hybrid cars. Bosch is the world’s top parts maker and Samsung is, um, Samsung. In a 50-50 joint venture, the two giants will spend some $500 million over the next five years to improve on the lithium ion battery for hybrids, then sell them to GM, Ford Motor, Hyundai and any other takers.

In short, they will spend the next five years chasing Toyota and Nissan. Toyota is working with Matsushita Electric and Nissan has formed a partnership with NEC Corp.

The goal – bring down the costs of the hybrid car battery and in turn bring down the overall costs of the more eco-friendly cars. Presently hybrids go for as much as $5000 more than their gasoline counterparts, they are better on the environment but not the wallets of consumers. That’ll change.

Meanwhile, Honda Motor Co is even farther ahead with the launch of the Clarity hydrogen-fueled car for lease in the United States.

Source: Nikkei (sub req)

Toyota Motor Corp is so far out in front of the pack when it comes to fuel-efficiency, that objects in the mirror really are smaller than they appear.

The company has set the standard for hybrid cars and the use of lithium-ion batteries but it’s not enough because they have a plan to launch a plug-in hybrid car with lithium-ion batteries within the next two years, which will far “outpeform” current lithium-ion batteries. The next-generation battery will be ready for commercial use by 2030.

A new research team created by Toyota will start with 50 engineers and double in size in about two years. Full scale production of lithium-ion batteries will start up next year and go full hybrid steam ahead by 2010.

Toyota is working in cahoots with Matsushita Electric Industrial Co, which makes Panasonic brand products. Remember that 13,000-hour light bulb? And, who said Japan cannot be a leader on the world stage?

Image by aminorjourney