Prius - Page 3

 Was Istoben wrote:

Pb-acid batteries are *still* designed to be rebuilt, only "at the
factory." Pb-acid batteries are very practical to recycle into new
batteries. The battery industry is very active in recycling because
recycled lead is cheaper than virgin lead, and no less good.

Fortunately the fool government doesn't require marking new batteries
that have recycled contents so the battery recycling industry has
thrived. Recycled motor oil industry suffers because oil made from
recycled oil must bear a leper's stigma, no matter that used motor oil
is a better base to start from than virgin crude.

 

In my comment I should have differentiated between recycling and rebuilding
(actually refurbishing).  I think the recycling process involves processing
the case material into a new case; the plates into new plates, and somehow
renewing the electrolyte.  In the old (really old) batteries the plate
assembly could be lifted from the case. Everything was cleaned, reassembled
and it was then charged.  Messy but cheap.

 
some
random words that came up with:


Weight, energy density, length of time to hold a charge.
LIon is much better.

I believe Li-on have overheating issues. Ni-Mh dont.

 

I doubt they are using Ni-MH batteries because they want to use obsolete
technology for a new model.  I would assume they have had some
difficulties with supply, and possibly have come up with technical
problems of which we are unaware (the stuff does start fires, for
instance).  We'll get Lion when Lion can be manufactured in quantity and
when it proves in tests to be trouble free