Battery-switching device promises more road time for Leaf drivers.
Nissan Leafs, which go about 107 miles on a charge, sometimes end up relegated to commuter cars due to battery-life worries.
They could work about 50 percent longer with a device provisionally patented by Vanderbilt University’s Ken Pence, professor of the practice of engineering management, and Tim Potteiger, a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering. It reconfigures modules in electric car battery packs to be online or offline—depending on whether they’re going to pull down the other modules.
“We know there are some battery cells that run out of juice earlier than others, and when they do, the others run less efficiently,” Potteiger said. “We make sure they all run out of energy at the same time, and there’s none left over.” That means they commonly show empty with 10 percent or more power left, Potteiger said. Their device also can connect to electric cars’ software for a more accurate read that allows drivers to get the most out of a charge.
https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2017/11/20/battery-device-tesla-leaf/
Nissan Leafs, which go about 107 miles on a charge, sometimes end up relegated to commuter cars due to battery-life worries.
They could work about 50 percent longer with a device provisionally patented by Vanderbilt University’s Ken Pence, professor of the practice of engineering management, and Tim Potteiger, a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering. It reconfigures modules in electric car battery packs to be online or offline—depending on whether they’re going to pull down the other modules.
“We know there are some battery cells that run out of juice earlier than others, and when they do, the others run less efficiently,” Potteiger said. “We make sure they all run out of energy at the same time, and there’s none left over.” That means they commonly show empty with 10 percent or more power left, Potteiger said. Their device also can connect to electric cars’ software for a more accurate read that allows drivers to get the most out of a charge.
https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2017/11/20/battery-device-tesla-leaf/