How to Improve Your Winter Drive With Electric Batteries

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It may be a while since we’ve heard about the power of batteries, but it’s never been more important to hear about them in relation to electric cars. Batteries are used as store of high energy densities. This enables them to provide an excellent source of power for a variety of applications. Among the most common uses of batteries is supercapacitors. Although this technology has been around for decades, it has only recently caught on in the automotive industry.

How to Improve Your Winter Drive With Electric Batteries

The reason is the advent of Lithium-ion and Nickel-Cadmium types of batteries. These have far greater capacity than the traditional alkaline batteries. They also perform better, too. While a car battery is rechargeable, the latest developments in the auto industry have seen the invention of an alternative type of car battery that can be quickly charged when needed by the driver. It can also be recharged as required for day to day use.

Nickel-Cadmium batteries are commonly used in many applications in the automotive sector today. The best thing about these batteries is that they are highly versatile and can be used for a wide range of purposes. For instance, they can power up a small laser system. They can even power up a small home appliance, like a toaster. All this and a lot more are possible, if a car battery is fitted with the right material.

Lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride batteries are a different kettle of fish altogether. These are the basis for the latest advancements in the automotive sector. The primary difference is that lithium-ion batteries are cheaper than supercapacitors. In fact, you would find some car batteries priced at less than $100. As for nickel-metal hydride batteries, these are quite expensive.

As far as size is concerned, it all depends on the type of battery that you are going to buy. Nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion batteries are bulky. While lithium-ion batteries are also bulky. Nickel-metal hydride batteries tend to be lighter than the former, but they are neither too thin nor too heavy to carry.

In a way, you could say that both supercapacitors and nickel-metal hydride batteries fall under the same umbrella. Both require a special enclosure or casing to store them. This storage allows the electric cars to have longer life spans. Supercapacitors tend to stop functioning after some years while the nickel-metal hydride battery can keep functioning efficiently for a much longer period of time. Both of these are ideal choices for electric cars. The only difference between the two is that lithium-ion batteries are slightly more expensive.

Today’s vehicles are quite advanced. Thanks to the use of electronic parts in their manufacture, they are also much more resistant to wear and tear. Thus, the lifespan of electric car batteries is elongated. This prolonging of their life span makes them ideal for use in replacement vehicles.

However, not all electric vehicles use the same kind of batteries. The ones used in hybrid cars are made from a different material altogether. While hybrid cars use lithium-ion batteries, vehicles using gasoline engines usually use nickel-metal hydride batteries. As you can see, there is a huge difference in the materials that these two kinds of batteries are manufactured out of. Nickel-metal hydride batteries are preferred over lithium-ion batteries because they are highly resistant to damages. Electric vehicles that run on gasoline engines on the other hand tend to run using a combination of the two.

Most electric vehicles that run on gasoline engines tend to use lithium-ion batteries. These are made from a synthetic material called lithium metal. They are durable and can withstand some shocks. They do not however, fare well in extreme temperature shifts and vibrations. In fact, many people would rather buy an electric vehicle with a lithium-ion battery than one that uses a synthetic material.

A properly maintained and recharged battery however will give you the best performance. To be on the safe side, you should keep your battery in a protected environment during all times. You can store it in a garage, closet, or any similar storage space that you have available.

There are two types of batteries that you can use in your electric vehicle. Nickel Cadmium or NiCad batteries are used in most electric vehicles. This type of battery is best suited for vehicles with mild to moderate winter weather. nickel cadmium batteries on the other hand, work best if you intend on using your car in sunny conditions. It is not very practical to use these in sunny weather.

Jenn Fontana
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