Of course, most electric vehicles today have long since had their battery packs replaced by more advanced lithium-ion batteries.
Toyota FCV concept car frame
Last week, although Toyota parted ways with Tesla and terminated its battery research alliance agreement, Toyota also sent a very clear message to the industry: it has invested heavily in another crucial alternative energy source for electricity. A few days ago, at a Fortune magazine conference, Jim Lentz, head of Toyota North America, told reporters in an interview that their future R&D focus will primarily be on fuel cell lithium-ion battery technology.
Previously, many media outlets incorrectly distinguished between lithium-ion fuel cell vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs). In fact, a lithium-ion fuel cell vehicle is essentially an electric vehicle. Like a battery-powered car, the lithium-ion fuel cell first stores energy as chemical energy, and then converts it into electrical energy for the vehicle's use. The only difference is that lithium-ion fuel cell vehicles need to be refueled with hydrogen, just like batteries need to be charged.
Disassembly diagram of key components of hydrogen fuel cell lithium battery vehicles
Larry Burns, a professor at Michigan State University and former head of research and development at General Motors, stated that the term "fuel cell lithium-ion battery" sounds unfamiliar to many, which is why the technology is initially perceived as intimidating and has deterred many investors. He added that if given a choice, he wouldn't have named it "fuel cell lithium-ion battery" but rather "hydrogen battery," even though it's simply another battery technology. From an automotive perspective, whether the electrical energy comes from a conventional battery or a fuel cell lithium-ion battery stack, it uses the same power electronics and electric motor; it operates quietly with no shift points.
Lithium-ion battery technology for fuel cell vehicles has existed for a long time, but for decades, automakers have been very cautious and adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Only now, however, has hydrogen fuel cell lithium-ion battery technology matured and aligned perfectly with current market demands.
Everything has its pros and cons. The biggest advantage of lithium-ion fuel cell batteries is their small size, light weight, and high energy storage capacity, which significantly improves the driving range of cars by eliminating bulky battery packs. However, their disadvantages are also quite glaring: compared to fully electric vehicles (such as Tesla's Model S), electric vehicles using lithium-ion fuel cell battery technology are weaker in terms of peak power output, and their torque output is vastly different from that of other gasoline-powered vehicles.
Therefore, in Professor Burns' words, even if fuel cell lithium-ion battery technology dominates the world of electric vehicles in the future, it is hoped that these vehicles will adopt a hybrid design, at least with a small battery pack. This is because you can't expect fuel cell lithium-ion batteries to reach peak power output; in the long run, their lifespan will also be significantly reduced. As with current hybrid vehicle designs, having lithium-ion batteries handle peak power output is a good approach.
Starting next year, hydrogen refueling stations will expand from California to the rest of the United States, signaling the imminent arrival of the era of hydrogen fuel cell-powered lithium-ion batteries. Toyota plans to launch a mid-size sedan powered by a hydrogen fuel cell-powered lithium-ion battery in North America in 2015, and Hyundai is following suit with significant moves in the field. Other major automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Honda, and GM are also working to overcome the technological challenges associated with hydrogen fuel cell-powered batteries.
