Advanced Ovonic high-power nickel-metal hydride batteries for hybrid electric vehicle applications

In response to intense development of hybrid electric vehicles throughout the world spurred by energy and environmental concerns, Ovonic Battery Company has developed a series of high power batteries suitable for a range of vehicle design concepts. We have developed a 60 Ah HEV battery with a power capability of 620 W/kg and 1700 W/L. This high power capability was achieved without tradeoffs in energy density. With a specific energy of 70 Wh/kg, this battery is especially attractive for high energy applications such as the range-extender hybrid vehicle. We have also developed 20 and 30 Ah battery designs for lower energy applications that require a higher power-to-energy ratio such as the charge-sustaining power-assist vehicle. Ovonic Ni-MH batteries exhibit an excellent acceptance of regenerative brake energy, highly superior to that exhibited by high power lead-acid batteries. These properties together with a high voltaic and coulombic efficiency make Ovonic batteries the technology of choice for the diverse variety of HEVs under development. These batteries retain the excellent cycle life characteristics of the Ni-MH EV battery. They are maintenance-free, do not contain toxic heavy metals, and can be 100% recycled.