"THE ULTIMATE BATTERY pack wouldbe one that consists of 100 percent active material. That is, every part of the pack stores and releases energy," says Euan McTurk, an electrochemist at Plug Life Consulting. That's because weight is one of the biggest challenges for EV engineers. Simply plopping in a larger, heavier battery is not a surefire way to increase range. A heavier car requires bigger brakes, bigger brakes require bigger wheels, and the increased weight of it all requires a stronger overall structure. It's what car designers call the "weight spiral"-the bigger the battery, the more dead weight you have to lug around, which can eat away at any potential gain in range.
展开▼
