Chalmers University in Sweden, published a fascinating thought during June 2023. They suggested that carbon fiber used in manufacture and construction, could also simultaneously store energy electro-chemically. This was perhaps the first time that news of carbon fiber structural batteries reached the wider community. But now the university has an even more interesting proposition.
Carbon Fiber Structural Batteries in Transport
Chalmers University was back in the news on September 10, 2024, when it proposed lightweight, energy efficient vehicles made of carbon fiber. Their words resonated with us as they explained their thinking as follows:
“When cars, planes, ships or computers are built from a material that functions as both a battery and a load-bearing structure, then the weight and energy consumption are radically reduced.”
The university announcement that we link to below speaks convincingly of “massless “ energy storage within the body of a device. This could halve the weight of a laptop, or enable a credit card-thin phone, they say. But carbon fiber structural batteries could also increase electric car range by 70%, according to the press release.
A Battery Rigid As Aluminum, And Energy Dense Too
A Chalmers University spokesperson has claimed, “We have succeeded in creating a battery made of carbon fibre composite. It is as stiff as aluminum, and energy-dense enough to be used commercially. Just like a human skeleton, this battery has several functions at the same time.”
There are, however, several giant steps between success in a laboratory, and a carbon fiber electric car that meets industry safety standards. Chalmers University believes credit card-thin phones could be the first innovation in that direction.
Next, the university envisages carbon fiber structural batteries powering electronics in auto body panels and aircraft. ‘It will require large investments to meet the transport industry’s challenging energy needs,” their spokesperson observes. “But this is also where the technology could make the greatest difference.”
More Information
Weightless Batteries Incorporated in Fiber
Structural Batteries To Lighten Electric Vehicles
Preview Image: A Carbon Fiber Battery
