Volkswagen is bench testing a new battery chemistry that it says could store up to 80 kWh of energy in a similar volume to that of the current eGolf’s 26.5 kWh battery pack.
VW board member Dr Heinz-Jakob Neusser told attendees at the Geneva Motor Show that the company has tested lithium-ion batteries with its existing cell supplier, Sanyo, with capacities up to 37 kWh, adding “an 80 kWh unit is under development using our own technology. It would provide between three and four times the battery power in a given package.”
Neusser refused to comment specifics regarding the battery chemistry, but did not deny it is based on lithium-air technology.
IBM, BMW and Toyota are all known to be developing Li-Air battery technology. He suggested that as a second car, most customers will settle for about 125 miles of electric range. An 80kW battery pack could, in theory, provide a range of roughly 200 miles — which would be a game-changer for EVs intended for middle income drivers.
