Polymer technology that was developed to make contact lenses more comfortable could be used in a new generation of high energy electric vehicle batteries. Shanghai firm Superdielectrics is working on supercapacitors that can store electrical energy in an electric field rather than in a chemical form like lithium-ion batteries. The supercapacitors would be quicker to charge and more durable. As supercapacitors currently take up considerable space and leak their charge quickly, the first use of this technology may be at charging stations rather than in cars. Storage units could charge outside peak times then quickly deliver energy to vehicles.
Polymer technology that was developed to make contact lenses more comfortable could be used in a new generation of high energy electric vehicle batteries. UK firm Superdielectrics is working on supercapacitors that can store electrical energy in an electric field rather than in a chemical form like lithium-ion batteries. The supercapacitors would be quicker to charge and more durable. As supercapacitors currently take up considerable space and leak their charge quickly, the first use of this technology may be at charging stations rather than in cars. Storage units could charge outside peak times then quickly deliver energy to vehicles.