New battery technology on the way?

[trex]

unless I am mistaken, some 2008 Kalkhoff Agattu sold by 50Cycles are still running with their original 26V 10AH Lithium Mn battery.

 

[Gubbins]

Is it not the case that there are always examples the buck the trend... We have all heard of the 90 year old heavy smoker...

 

[mfj197]

Ah, from memory lithium manganese oxide batteries did have longer life but were heavier than other technologies. Mind you, if they go on for 6 years without problems then the extra weight may be worth it!

 

[tillson]

unless I am mistaken, some 2008 Kalkhoff Agattu sold by 50Cycles are still running with their original 26V 10AH Lithium Mn battery.

You are not mistaken. My June 2008 Panasonic battery is still working and is perfectly adequate for a 20 mile ride. The battery is on a Kalkhoff Pro-Connect and has actually outlasted the motor. I briefly owned a 2008 Agattu and the battery on that was even better, easily doing 25 miles.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Suggest you google LifePo4(Lithium Iron Phosphate),in use for weather stations,some batteries have lasted 20 years...just a shame the energy density is low,the weight some 50 per cent greater than Lithium Ion.
It's also generally considered the safest of the Lithium family of batteries.
If only it could be lighter.
KudosDave

 

[Kudoscycles]

Ah, from memory lithium manganese oxide batteries did have longer life but were heavier than other technologies. Mind you, if they go on for 6 years without problems then the extra weight may be worth it!

I think you mean LifePo4 not LiMno4,Lithium Manganese Oxide is about the same weight as Lithium Ion and Polymer.
KudosDave

 

[Geebee]

I meant what chemical technology is used in the 2008 e-bike batteries you mention as still going? Some technologies do work for longer; for example Toyota have never had to replace the nickel metal hydride batteries in any Prius even though they've been making them for 17 years.

Michael

I was discussing this very subject on another forum Australian, several owner have had the battery pack replaced, some under warranty and some out of warranty, around 200,000km and 7~8 years seems to be the the danger area, having said that the taxis are getting 400 to 500,000 km out of the packs due to higher milage over a shorter time.

 

[Kudoscycles]

Maybe not really relevant but useful to know that as of December 2016 Ni-CD batteries,often used in power tools,will be banned from sale in the EU.

The Council of the European Union and the European Parliament have agreed to amend Directive 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators in order to gradually reduce the amount of cadmium and mercury released into the environment as substitutes become available (PE-CONS 55/13).

Directive 2006/66/EC prohibits the placing on the market of portable batteries and accumulators, including those incorporated into appliances, that contain more than 0.002% of cadmium by weight. The new directive removes an exemption that applied to portable batteries intended for use in cordless power tools. To enable the recycling industry and consumers to adapt to the substitute technologies, this ban will apply from 31 December 2016.

Directive 2006/66/EC also bans batteries and accumulators that contain more than 0.0005% of mercury by weight, but there was an exemption for button cells with a mercury content of no more than 2% by weight. As the EU button cell market is already shifting to mercury-free button cells, the new directive now prohibits the marketing of button cells with a mercury content exceeding 0.0005%. This ban will apply 21 months after the directive enters into force. However, the Commission will report to the European Parliament and to the Council on the availability of alternatives to button cells for hearing aids.

It looks like all power tools will henceforth use Lithium batteries.
KudosDave