batteries

Researchers are working on a lithium air battery that will make electric vehicles as practical as internal combustion cars are today.

For all the leaps and advances electric vehicles have made in the last couple of years, they still have a way to go before they become practical enough or cheap enough to be the typical family car. But IBM is working on a battery that will put an end to range anxiety, able to power a vehicle for 500 miles.

IBM researchers at four of the technology giant's laboratories are testing a lithium air battery. Dubbed the Battery500 Project, … Read more

Most battery chargers today are like leaky faucets dripping out a tiny flow of electricity even when not charging your electronic gadget.

The California Energy Commission yesterday voted in favor of efficiency standards aimed at cutting wasted energy from battery chargers for small electronics, including cell phones and electric toothbrushes, to larger battery-powered machines such as power tools and forklifts.

Once enacted, the measures should improve the efficiency of chargers by at least 40 percent and save over $300 million a year in utility costs, according to the Commission. The energy savings would be about 2,200 gigawatt hours per … Read more

LAS VEGAS--We've all been there: halfway through the work day, the battery indicator on your smartphone switches to red, and you find yourself nervously looking for a power outlet.

Samsung Electronics hopes to alleviate the battery issue a bit--at least for most customers. The company has set a goal that smartphones coming out this year can last all day under average to moderately heavy use, according to Kevin Packingham, vice president of product innovation at Samsung.

"When you wake up to when you go to bed, we don't want you feeling anxiety about your battery life," … Read more

Updates to Dolphin HD for iOS and Android bring notable improvements to the browser on both platforms. Released yesterday, the overhaul of the iOS version's look makes it much more usable, while the Android edition keeps the feature-rich app running in ship-shape.

Dolphin HD 3.0 for iOS has an iPhone version and an iPad version, and the new look brings it more in line with its appearance on Android. The Speed Dial landing page has been refreshed to make it cleaner, while the Webzine feature for streamlining magazine-style content has expanded its categories and introduced some much-needed customization. … Read more

Modernizing 150-year-old battery technology may be one of the cheapest routes to hybrid autos.

Axion Power International has a developed an advanced lead-acid battery it hopes will attract automakers and grid storage providers. The basic chemistry and components are the same, but the company has an activated carbon negative electrode, a change that leads to better performance over time, according to the company.

In the auto industry, the company is targeting start-stop hybrids in particular. Also called microhybrids, start-stop systems feature a small battery to run a car's electronics when idle and to aid in accelerating.

Unlike an all-electric … Read more

Although there have been no reports of problems so far, Fisker is recalling 239 Karma plug-in hybrid sports cars due to a high-voltage battery problem that could result in a fire.

The problem with the luxury plug-in hybrid is that certain hose clamps may have been positioned incorrectly during assembly, which could cause a coolant leak near the battery compartment.

According to the the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: "If coolant enters the battery compartment, an electrical short could occur possible resulting in a fire."

Fisker plans to notify customers, and dealerships will replace the high-voltage battery with … Read more

Battery life on iOS 5 has been a big letdown for both iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S users alike. As Apple continues to work on a solution, there is a quick and easy way to help increase your battery life. … Read more

Speedy lithium ion batteries, the power source for consumer electronics and electric vehicles, are making inroads into the renewable energy business.

A123 Systems today announced that a Hawaiian wind project developer will use its batteries to firm up power delivery into the grid. The Auwahi Wind project, which has a generating capacity of 21 megawatts, will be buttressed by a giant battery bank able to deliver 11 megawatts of power.

It's the second time this year that A123 Systems' storage systems, built around shipping container-size battery banks, were chosen to be co-located with a wind farm. The Laurel Mountain … Read more

Termites--those pesky insects that you fear might invade and destroy your home--may actually be responsible for the new wave of eco-friendly batteries, if Sony has anything to do with it.

At the Eco-Products 2011 exhibition in Tokyo, Sony showed off a bio-battery prototype that gets its power from shredded paper. In the demo, pieces of paper and cardboard were dropped into a water mixture to magically turn on a small fan. Instead of magic though, the Japanese electronics company took a lesson from nature. … Read more