All about hybrid car batteries

Hybrid cars are power ed by electric motors apart from these engines and gas engines are based on the batteries. Hybrid car batteries are produced in a similar way as a conventional automobile batteries and have the similar function. The only big difference is hybrid car batteries are built bigger to be able to produce the large amount of energy required. But compared to vehicles batteries electrical pure hybrid car batteries are smaller, from hybrid cars also used petrol engines.

To provide to the demands of hybrid cars, their batteries have different internal constructions and conventional materials. Hybrid car batteries can be arrived in packages containing multiple modules, each module that contains rows of cells. The 2009 Toyota Prius, the 201.6 V battery pack has 28 modules. Each module, often enclosed in stainless steel, contains 6 cells, therefore the complete pack has 168 cells. The battery voltage is reversed to AC power to the electric motor of 650 VAC. When a package stops running, it is likely that a module is defective and the pack can be rebuilt by replacing the appropriate module.

In any car, a rechargeable battery engine boot, lamps, accessories and engine ignition system and a battery of lead-acid 12V power s could provide the necessary energy. In a hybrid car, other rechargeable battery is used to run the engine to s power wheels, which means that a more comprehensive energy, high-voltage battery is required. Lead batteries are heavy and cannot deliver the necessary energy in a small package. Most automakers, therefore, for all practical purposes, have resorted to other types of batteries battery.

Today, battery nickel metal hydride (NiMH) are installed on the majority of hybrid cars - over 2 million worldwide. The electrodes used in NiMH batteries are alloy for negative hydrogen absorption and oxyhydroxide for positive nickel. Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight, among others, use NiMH batteries.

Another type of battery is the lithium-ion batteries, which have more power in smaller packages. A lithium ion battery consists of an anode and a cathode and electrolytes. The anode is carbon graphite. The cathode is an oxide layers of lithium cobalt oxide, or a polyanion as a spinel such as lithium manganese oxide and lithium iron phosphate. Electrolyte is a non-aqueous organic carbonates that contain lithium-ion complexes.

Honda hybrids are turning to use lithium batteries. Toyota, although it is acquiring interests in lithium extraction is sticking to its use of NiMH (which costs around $4,000 to replace) instead of lithium, which have higher cost. But it is expected that lithium could be the key to making more affordable hybrids in the future.

Hybrid cars burn less fuel, reducing pollution, but their incorrectly removed the batteries have on the environment, that would only be one trade problems for the other toxicity effects.

All types of batteries have their environmental risks. In terms of materials batteries are mainly made of lead is the most harmful, while lithium is least. Nickel is at the Centre. But if cobalt is used in lithium batteries, then it would be a problem.

Recycling technologies play an important role in the environmental impacts of these materials. Lead has a mature technology recycling, but thousands of tons of lead end up in landfills each year. Full recycling of nickel remains a challenge, and nickel is considered a likely carcinogen.

Today, some hybrid cars million represent only a fraction of the 700 million cars in operation worldwide. But as the production and use of increase of hybrids, the environmental impact of their batteries are proportionally problematic and should be addressed to as soon as possible.

Dindo Donald is a student at a major American University and is majoring in economics. Travels quite often encourages everyone to treat a hybrid car rental, next time travel so that they can save money on gas and help protect the environment. A number of companies offer rental Toyta Prius.