Saturday, June 13, 2009

[Electric Boats] Lithium cheaper than lead?



Search eBay for "Lithium-Ion Battery 12V 40AH".

Now granted...my (230AH) bank would run $6000. "Not cheap!" you say. But that's with a (reported) cycle time of 2000 cycles. I will generously credit my existing el-cheapo Walmart deep cycles batteries with 300 cycles. They cost $560 (8 x 12v). Good Trojan T-105's should be closer to 500 cycles - but would have cost $1200 (8 x 6v).

$4800 (equivalent cycles) is still less than $6000. And BMS + chargers will bump it further. But - I save 300lbs in weight, can distribute it better, is (maybe) safer, and get probably 20% more range/charge (no Peukert). It's also easy to keep spare cells on hand in case of failure. The form-factor is intriguing - I can see 3.2V cells spread out against my hull in a couple of flat 48V strings and saving my limited storage space for more beer...

We are not quite there...but so close. Being human, we tend not to factor in long-term costs very well - but maybe it's time.

Anyone running lithium (in a boat, not a dragster) yet? I think when (the rest of) my Wallyworlds die in another year or 2 - it's time.

-Keith

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