On The Road to More Fuel-Efficient Vehicles
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By Grace V. Jean and Sandra I. Erwin

A123Systems, a lithium ion battery producer, has teamed with the Energy Department’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory to develop fuel-efficient vehicle technology. Funding for the joint project is being provided under the Recovery Act.
Lithium ion batteries offer a number of significant advantages over other types of batteries and hold great promise for use in hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, said an ORNL news release.
The company will work with the lab to develop a method for a homogenous and reliable nano-composite coating that will be applied to next-generation lithium ion batteries. Researchers will aim to better understand the material’s behavior and the resulting functionality.
Energy-efficient automobiles will require cost-effective, long-lasting, and abuse-tolerant lithium ion batteries, the release said.