Skip to main content

Developments in super-capacitors will see them replacing batteries

Developments in super-capacitors will see these replacing batteries in applications such as hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles. New generation super-capacitors are said to be more reliable, less costly, less affected by temperature variance and also safer. Super-capacitors have been recognised for their high power density, long lifetime and low internal resistance, and they can be constructed from commonly available, low cost materials. In the recently updated IDTechEx report "Supercapacitor/ Ultracap
January 20, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Developments in super-capacitors will see these replacing batteries in applications such as hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles. New generation super-capacitors are said to be more reliable, less costly, less affected by temperature variance and also safer. Super-capacitors have been recognised for their high power density, long lifetime and low internal resistance, and they can be constructed from commonly available, low cost materials.

In the recently updated IDTechEx report "Supercapacitor/ Ultracapacitor Interviews, Strategies, Road Map 2014-2024" www.idtechex.com/superApps, the IDTechEx roadmap has graphene active electrodes promising up to 200 Wh/kg, ahead of current lithium-ion batteries. Super-capacitors and their derivatives super-cabatteries (asymmetric electrochemical double layer capacitors AEDLC), particularly the lithium-ion capacitor versions, are widening in application.

The reports says that the European electric vehicle industry is weakened by having to import lithium-ion batteries from Japan, China and Korea to get the best price/performance for mass markets. However, Europe could also stay weak in super-capacitors, as investors are failing to see that super-capacitors are increasingly key enabling components for EVs and other applications. There are exceptions such as Maxwell Technologies, which has used super-capacitors in pure electric buses in China. WIMA of Germany has sold huge water-cooled, energy harvesting super-capacitors to 2300 Komatsu for use in construction machines. But Europe continues to be a net importer of super-capacitors.

For more information on companies in this article

Komatsu

Related Content

  • Super capacitors show vehicle potential
    June 26, 2014
    A new study highlights the potential for super capacitors. This latest study suggests that super capacitors could offer up to 2-4 times the power density of the best lithium-ion type batteries. The study also suggests that the global market for super capacitors could be worth as much as US$6.5 billion/year by 2024. So far super capacitors featuring 35Wh/kg output have been demonstrated but the potential for this technology is thought to be substantial with further research and development. Super capacitors
  • Hyundai reveals details of its hybrid lifetime battery guarantee
    March 19, 2012
    Hyundai has announced details of its Lifetime Hybrid Battery Replacement Guarantee, announced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit earlier this month.
  • Komatsu Europe celebrates 1,000 Hybrid Excavators
    November 12, 2020
    Produced in the UK for the European market, the Komatsu “Hybrid” range has gone from strength to strength, with the 1,000th unit produced in the summer of 2020 at the Komatsu UK factory near Newcastle.
  • Kobelco Construction Machinery chooses lithium ion battery technology for its 21tonne hybrid
    April 25, 2018
    Kobelco Construction Machinery claims that its 21tonne hybrid excavator, the SK210H, is the world’s first lithium ion battery powered hybrid excavator. Compared to super capacitors, the Japanese maker has found that li-ion battery packs are able to retain their charge for longer, and can deliver a near-constant flow of power making engine fuel management much more efficient, while reducing spikes in operating performance. A large capacity, 200kg lithium-ion battery pack in the SK210H has the ability to d