Like most other electronic devices, the success of Tesla Motors, Inc.’s automobiles hinges greatly on the batteries that power the vehicles. Electric cars have existed for decades, but only recently has the technology been able to sustain longer charges.
Palo Alto-based electric-car manufacturer Tesla is working alongside Japanese electronics giant Panasonic Corporation to develop battery technologies that extend the 245-mile-per-charge range of Tesla's Roadster model. The Model S, which the company plans to debut next year, may travel as far as 300 miles per charge.
Consumer confidence in electric vehicles is often hurt by the limitations of the car batteries, and many close to the industry understand that there are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to the battery life issue.
“One of the reasons people hesitate to get an electric car is this perception that it's going to run out of juice somewhere and leave them stranded by the side of the road,” said Jerry Pohorsky, president of the Silicon Valley chapter of the Electric Auto Association. “To a certain extent, that is a real consideration. You can drive these things to the point where they won't go any more.”
Tesla’s batteries are the most powerful among commercially available electric cars. Further innovation in the quality of electric vehicle batteries has the potential to make the electric vehicle, or EV, category more viable in the marketplace.
“Battery development is the driving force behind the EV movement,” said Tesla spokeswoman Camille Ricketts.
Tesla supplies electric vehicle components to other automotive companies, including Toyota Motor Corp. and Daimler AG.
The Tesla Roadster model’s design was inspired by the Lotus Elise, a gas-powered sports car that averages 210 miles on a single tank. Typically, cars can travel between 300 and 400 miles on a tank of gas.
Hypothetically, Bay Area drivers of the Model S will be able to drive as far away as Reno, Nev., or Santa Barbara on a single charge — something that would have been considered science fiction when the first generation of production electric vehicles was introduced in the mid-1990s.
Released in 1996, the General Motors Co. EV1 lasted between 60 and 100 miles on a single charge.
Even the recently released Nissan Motor Co. Leaf has similar limitations, with an estimated battery range of just 100 miles.
Kurt Kelty, director of battery technology for Tesla Motors, said, “Our battery pack has 56 kilowatt-hours of energy. Other EVs on the market have about 20 or 24 kilowatt-hours.”
“The Roadster battery pack is over 120 watt-hours per kilogram,” he added. “That’s where our engineering strength comes in. We use a high energy density cell, and we pack it densely while also maintaining a high level of safety, reliability and long life.”
The emphasis at Tesla is to focus on what the company terms “energy density,” essentially a measure of the amount of energy stored per kilogram of battery mass. At its headquarters in Palo Alto, Tesla claims to maintain one of the most advanced battery development labs in the world.
Specifically, Tesla is developing technology that will allow consumers to easily replace used batteries with ones holding a full charge. The company plans to implement this innovation in the Model S sedan.
Despite the increased innovation in the field, driving down the cost of the batteries remains the greatest challenge.
Haresh Kamath, project manager in the energy utilization program area at the Palo Alto-based Electric Power Research Institute, said, “The main challenge with electric vehicle batteries today is their cost. It is a very large part of the difference in cost between an electric vehicle and a conventional internal-combustion vehicle.”
Tesla plans to release three different versions of the Model S sedan based mostly on battery life. The basic Model S with have a battery designed to run 160 miles on a single charge. It will cost $49,900 after a $7,500 federal tax credit.
The second battery option will have a 230-mile range, but will add about $10,000 to the price. The Model S with a