VW testing battery that could boost energy density 4x

Volkswagen is bench testing a new battery chemistry that it says could store up to 80 kWh of energy in a similar volume to that of the current eGolf’s 26.5 kWh battery pack, according to VW board member Dr Heinz-Jakob Neusser.

Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show, Neusser said that the company has tested lithium-ion batteries with its existing cell supplier, Sanyo, with capacities up to 37 kWh, but “an 80 kWh unit is under development using our own technology. It would provide between three and four times the battery power in a given package.”

Neusser refuses to name the battery chemistry, but doesn’t deny it is based on lithium-air technology. IBM, BMW and Toyota are known to also be developing Li-Air battery technology.

As to how far a plug-in hybrid or pure battery car could travel in electric mode with such a battery, Neusser says that depends on what the customer wants. He suggests that as a second car, most customers will settle for about 200km (124 miles) of electric range, but as the family’s main transport a battery would have to provide a much greater range.

With VW owning 100% of Audi, we're now openly wondering if this is the battery technology Audi plan to use for their 600 km range Q8 SUV Tesla Model X killer?

Source: The Telegraph