Comments on: When Cars Eat Each Other: Old EV Batteries Will Power Ford Factory

By: Bob_Wallace

Bob_Wallace — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 18:05:00 +0000

Batteries gradually loose their ability to hold a charge. As that happens the number of miles between charges drop. It’s believed that most people will want a new battery when capacity drops to about 80%.

A battery with 80% capacity has a lot of life left in it. It would be very useful for grid storage and smoothing for a number of years. If car owners could sell their “80%” batteries to utility companies that would help pay for the new one.

Eventually capacity would drop too low to be useful to the utility company and then the battery could go to the recycling plant to be turned into a new one.

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I suspect a number of EVs won’t get new batteries when they hit 80%. They’ll get sold to someone who has less range needs. A ten year old Leaf that has a 40, 50, 60 mile range might be a great car for short daily commutes to work or school. Cheap to drive. No funky engine problems.

By: Linas

Linas — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:57:00 +0000

What’s the point of using used batteries?

If they won’t how a charge in an electric car why would they
hold a charge in a new “50-kilowatt-hour facility”?

There is a good reason these “used EV battery” are not in
the electric cars because there useful life is at an end they are not reliable
storage devices any more

Why waste time effort and expense in trying to use them as a
storage facility for solar power

When they won’t hold a charge?

By: Tina Casey

Tina Casey — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 22:46:14 +0000

Hey HudsonHero thanks for your comment – and the compliment. Part of the thinking going into EV battery re-use is that manufacturers and/or consumers can recover some energy-value from the battery after it is no longer useful in a vehicle, which would help to reduce their cost.

By: HudsonHero

HudsonHero — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:40:30 +0000

We need more companies thinking this way and finding viable options that are eco-aware. Moms like me want to take care of our resources but at the same time are realistic for our stretched finances. Bravo to companies who are being innovative.

By the way, love your post title- best title I’ve read all week.

By: CQ42 Battery

CQ42 Battery — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:19:08 +0000

It is becoming to be a necessity to reuse the old stuff instead of making a new one.

By: Elli D.

Elli D. — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 17:01:19 +0000

This should be the way how to treat the old things from now on. It is certainly good idea. It is becoming to be a necessity to reuse the old stuff instead of making a new one. The consumption is no longer sustainable advantage of civilized countries. To mitigate the impact of human’s activities on the Nature is the way we should go further.

By: Tina Casey

Tina Casey — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 14:38:08 +0000

Fireofenergy, thank you for your comment, but I’m not sure what you mean.

By: fireofenergy

fireofenergy — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 14:35:29 +0000

How silly, like that might actually power 1/10th of 1/10th of 1/10th of 1/10th of a percent of NOWHEREVILLE!