This month, thousands of new Chevy Volt owners will begin the real road tests of the first mass-produced plug-in hybrid electric car. While much of the car's engineering is unique, consumers may be unaware that some of its most extraordinary technology is inside the nearly 400-lb. battery that powers the vehicle in electric mode.
The battery's chemistry is based in part on a revolutionary breakthrough pioneered by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory. The new development helps the Volt's battery-a lithium-ion design similar to those in your cell phone or laptop-last longer, run more safely and perform better than batteries currently on the market.
"To me this cuts right to the heart of green energy," said Jeff Chamberlain, who heads Argonne's battery research and development. "This battery technology is a step towards energy independence for the U.S.; it helps create jobs; and it can have a positive impact on the environment."
The story begins in the late 1990s, when the DOE's Office of Basic Energy Sciences funded an intensive study of lithium-ion batteries.
"Existing materials weren't good enough for a high-range vehicle," explained Michael Thackeray, an Argonne Distinguished Fellow who is one of the holders of the original patent. "The Argonne materials take a big step forward in extending the range for an electric vehicle."
In order to improve the design, scientists had to know how batteries worked at the atomic level.