XeroK00L

Nice vision Toyota has there. From reading Wikipedia this seems to be a pretty promising type of new batteries indeed. High-powered (comparable to Li-ion's) but CHEAP (zinc sells for $1/lb and air is...um...free).

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/06/l...gen-batteries/
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...maildailyANE02

Li-ion? Puhleeze. Toyota working on next-next-gen batteries

Much has been made of the fact that Toyota is seemingly behind General Motors and other manufacturers in the race to adopt lithium-ion batteries as the future battery of the hybrid and electric vehicle market. Lithium-ion batteries pack more energy into less space than nickel metal hydride batteries, which are the current industry standard in hybrids. Could this delay in the adoption of lithium ion technology be because they have something better up their corporate sleeves for the next-next Prius? According to reports from Japan, Toyota may be investing in zinc-air batteries, which are currently popular only in your grandpa's hearing-aid. If the rumors are true, these new batteries would make up a big chunk of Toyota's plan on offering a hybrid version of every car it sells by 2020. In the meantime, expect to see lithium-ion batteries in future Toyota hybrid models until it's ready to unveil its newest battery technology, whatever that may be.

Pic PS'd by autoblog I suppose


Wiki's intro to Zinc-air batteries:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc-air_battery

TRDFantasy

Doesn't surprise me. Toyota is always thinking long-term, and they usually stay quiet and tight-lipped on any future product or technologies they have planned, unlike some of the competition like GM.

ntran18

iTrader: (27)

I say they are thinking even further down the line. I think all this hybrid stuff is just transition to the next gen power system (possibly fuel cell). GM and the rest of them seem to be in the hybrid biz just to stay in the market but without any goals.

ES350Bob

I believe credit for first automaker actively participating in further application/development of zinc-air for vehicles fairly goes to
Mercedes Benz-Chrysler having teamed up with Electric Fuel division of Arotech in the year 2,000 in Germany and EF with GE in 1998 here on transit vehicle study. Actually appears R and D was funded in large part by the government of our own USA. I came across Electric Fuel doing research several years ago for something I was interested in developing, they make zinc-air battery packs and have for years.

I'm going out on a limb but I predict that zinc-air would be great for fleet maintained vehicles, transit systems, but not for Joe consumer in a sedan type vehicle.

http://www.electric-fuel.com/evpro/germany.shtml

http://www.electric-fuel.com/evpro/usa.shtml

http://www.electric-fuel.com/efbc.html

MR_F1

But Zinc-air batteries aren't rechargeable......

It's a good thought to think that Toyota is quite a step ahead, but I dunno if Zinc-air is it.

XeroK00L

Zinc-air batteries are "rechargeable" by emptying the "spent" zinc, or zinc-oxide, and replacing it with new zinc. Zinc-oxide can then be recycled and turned back into zinc at a separate facility.

EDIT: Ah actually you're right. The fact that Zinc-air batteries aren't rechargeable directly through electricity will prevent it from use in a hybrid, where conventional fuel is used to refuel the car and is what makes hybrids popular in the first place. Well let's hope Toyota can surprise us once again.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

So if not rechargeable, what again, is the point of the article?

Maybe you can tow around your own zinc supply.