ECD's Ovonic Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries Demonstrate Superior Performance in the 1997 American Tour de Sol
28 May 1997
ECD's Ovonic Nickel Metal Hydride Batteries Demonstrate Superior Performance in the 1997 American Tour de Sol
TROY, Mich., May 27 -- Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.
("ECD") announced today that a Solectria Force four-passenger
Sedan, powered by Ovonic Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries, established a
new driving range record of 249 miles on a single charge for Production
Electric Vehicles (EVs). The new record was achieved, despite unseasonably
cold temperatures and snow, over public roads between White River Junction,
Vermont and Lincoln, New Hampshire, the heart of New England's mountainous ski
country. This year's record performance beats last year's record, also set by
Solectria/Ovonic, of 244 miles over much flatter terrain driving between New
York City and Washington, D.C. The Ovonic/Solectria EV also won awards for
efficiency and handling, earning first place in the Production Category.
Also competing in the production class was the soon-to-be introduced 1998
Toyota RAV-4 EV. This vehicle was powered by NiMH batteries from a Japan-
based manufacturer with the same amount of energy, 28 KWH, as the Solectria
Force. The RAV-4 EV achieved a range of just 116 miles on a single charge as
a result of its lower energy density. Among lead-acid-battery-powered
vehicles, a 1995 Solectria Force was the leader traveling 104 miles on a
single charge. A Ford Ecostar electric van equipped with experimental high-
temperature sodium-sulfur batteries (not commercially available) traveled 202
miles. The Ovonic NiMH batteries clearly demonstrated superior performance
over all other batteries in this competition.
In the Commuter Category, the overall winner was powered by Ovonic NiMH
batteries. "Sungo" is a lightweight, two-passenger car built by students at
the New Hampshire Technological Institute ("NHTI"). Using a smaller Ovonic
NiMH battery pack, it achieved a driving range of 133 miles on a single
charge.
The Ovonic/NHTI team also won awards for efficiency and handling, earning
first place in the Commuter Category.
The Solectria Force and the Toyota RAV-4 EV both had battery packs with
28 KWH of energy. A typical gallon of gasoline has the equivalent of about
33 KWH of electrical energy. The range of the Solectria Force, 249 miles, is
an indication of the overall efficiency of EVs. The U.S. Department of Energy
calculated an impressive equivalent of 62 miles per gallon for the Solectria
Force, allowing for central-generating plant efficiency, power transmission
losses on the grid, charging efficiency and mechanical drivetrain losses.
Ovonic Battery Company, Inc. ("Ovonic Battery"), ECD's 94%-owned
subsidiary, is currently working with GM Ovonic L.L.C. ("GM Ovonic"), the
manufacturing joint venture between General Motors ("GM") and Ovonic Battery,
to provide NiMH batteries for EVs. GM has previously announced that it will
use GM Ovonic NiMH batteries in the EV-1 and the Chevrolet S-10 electric
pick-up truck later this year. In addition to providing a significant range
improvement over lead acid batteries currently in use, the Ovonic NiMH battery
overcomes variations in performance due to climatic temperature changes.
Other student-built vehicles powered by Ovonic NiMH batteries did not
finish the Tour de Sol competition. Lawrence Institute of Technology entered
a hybrid vehicle powered by Ovonic NiMH batteries that dropped out due to
transmission problems. Another electric vehicle entry, University of
California, Chico did not finish due to control problems. Both student teams
had entered advanced vehicles and we congratulate them for pushing the EV
technology frontier to the limits. You can expect to see more from these
competitors in the future.
Ovonic Battery has developed a new NiMH battery model specifically
tailored for hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). While announced just a few weeks
ago, auto manufacturer interest in this new battery model has resulted in
several requests for sample battery packs. Initial testing has demonstrated
better than expected results surpassing the more conventional battery
technologies that have been on test for the past two years. The initial
Ovonic battery test exceeded all of the manufacturers' targets for HEV
batteries.
ECD is a leader in the synthesis of new materials and the development of
advanced production technology and innovative products. ECD has pioneered the
development of products and production technology based on amorphous,
disordered and related materials, with an emphasis on alternative energy and
advanced information technologies. ECD's web site is http://ovonic.com.
SOURCE Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.