Energized carbon fiber composite batteries as structural panels for electric vehicles

The major roadblock in the widespread acceptance of electric vehicles (EVs) is its limited miles/charge. Currently, energy is stored in heavy, toxic, and flammable lithium-ion batteries installed as separate units. Adding more batteries leads to increased weight of already heavy EVs. EzCTÆs solution to increase the miles/charge focuses on integrating energy storage into the structural panels of EVs. The objective of this proposal is to use carbon fiber to make carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, as it is lighter than steel or aluminum but stronger than steel or aluminum to build structural body shells of EVs. Energized glass fiber reinforced plastic structural batteries (eCFRP) will provide more than 200 Wh/Kg energy density, 700 Wh/Kg power density, and last more than 5,000 charge-discharge cycles. It will also provide high mechanical and bending strength to function as a lightweight structural battery panel. eCFRP would reduce Green House Gas emissions and positively impact the environment. It can solve one of the long-standing problems of the EV industry - long charging time. Because eCFRP is much more distributed energy storage with a thinner active electrode material, these structural batteries can charge faster than the existing large-volume batteries. eCFRP should have many applications beyond EVs, especially in the aerospace industry. It can be used as a structural battery panel for less critical parts of spacecraft and within electronic devices where the structural body frame can be used as the storage medium, saving space and reducing the device's size. This project also enables the development of a workforce streamlined to the needs of the energy industry. Ultimately, eCFRP can replace steel or aluminum body panels at comparatively low-impact sections of EVs, UAVs, aircraft, etc.