Ultracapacitors to increase Insight efficiency?

[saboeme]

Just for consideration, would it be practical to use ultracapacitors to act as electrical buffers, short time power boost providers, and storage medium between the gen/mot. and battery pack via a switching device in an Insight to increase efficeincy? Maxwell Technologies capacitors of San Fransico, CA. has ultracaps that hold a 2.5 volt charge now, but projects a 3.0 volt charge holding cap in the near future. Does anyone have any ideas on this?

Saboeme

Hi Saboeme:

___You probably know far more about UltraCAP’s then I …

___I doubt this small a voltage UltraCAP would do anything but get in the way and how it would be integrated might be a nightmare? There are a number of advanced technology projects around the world (mainly Japan by the sounds of it unfortunately ) to replace the main traction battery with a large UltraCap. EVworld.com is filled with past and present articles dealing with the technology from its past, present, and possibly future accomplishments if you haven’t seen them already.

___Hopefully UltraCap’s will bring the cost of the pack down (there won’t be a battery pack), increase the longevity with an almost infinite number of charge/discharge cycles, and increase the rate of charge/discharge to improve regen efficiency far beyond where we are today.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___[email:24th3upf]Waynegerdes@earthlink.net[/email:24th3upf]

[b1shmu63]

The original Insight was developed using Ultra Caps. The idea was abandoned for safety and cost considerations. Ultra Caps are definatly more efficient, as the electrical energy does not have to be transformed into chemical energy to be stored and they would probably be more efficient in cold weather as well.