Scientists today answered a question that worries millions
of owners and potential owners of electric and hybrid vehicles using
lithium-ion batteries: How long before the battery pack dies, leaving a
sticker-shock bill for a fresh pack or a car ready for the junk heap? Their
answer, presented here at the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the
American Chemical Society (ACS), being held here this week, may surprise
skeptics.
“The battery pack could be used during a quite reasonable
period of time ranging from 5 to 20 years depending on many factors,” said
Mikael G. Cugnet, Ph.D., who spoke on the topic. “That’s good news when you
consider that some estimates put the average life expectancy of a new car at
about eight years.”