Posted on Tuesday, January 05 2010 @ 1:30 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck
Bit Tech
reports Panasonic is developing new li-ion batteries that promise 30 percent more capacity. These new power cells are expected to hit mass production in 2013.
As reported over on Gizmodo, the company has announced a new 18650-type lithium ion power cell - so called owing to its 18mm diameter and 65mm height - which offers an industry leading capacity of 3.5Ah. As if this wasn't good enough news, the company has also promised that a move to a silicon-based alloy for the negative electrode - in place of the currently used carbon - will allow the technology to stretch to 4.0Ah.
Designed for use primarily in laptop battery packs, the high-capacity power cells will also likely find a home in electric and hybrid-power vehicles where their impressively high energy density will help to increase the range while decreasing the cost associated with such vehicles.
With Panasonic's current range of power cells offering 2.9Ah, the 4.0Ah promises a thirty percent boost in capacity - meaning increased longevity of about a third for lithium-ion powered devices including laptops and netbooks.
