Development of a spiral wound advanced lead-acid EV battery

Abstract

It is generally accepted that the battery is the critical component for a functional electric vehicle (EV). Development of an effective EV battery requires careful consideration of the characteristics of the EV, as well as the battery, and their proper integration. OPTIMA Batteries, Inc. has developed a 12 V, 52 Ah lead-acid spiral wound battery with ideal characteristics for a commuter type EV. The batteries feature a power of 400 W/kg and are sealed and maintenance free. AC Propulsion, Inc. manufactures a state-of-the-art 150 kW AC induction motor and controller incorporating many innovative battery management features. Specifications of the OPTIMA Yellow Top battery as well as case histories and performance data of AC Propulsion's EV conversions equipped with the OPTIMA deep cycle batteries are presented.