Canberra, Jan 20 (ANI): A new hybrid car battery called “UltraBattery” has been developed by CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization) in Australia, which lasts longer, costs less and is more powerful than current technologies used in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).

According to CSIRO officials, UltraBattery combines a supercapacitor and a lead acid battery in a single unit, creating a hybrid car battery.

The UltraBattery has the ability to provide and absorb charge rapidly during vehicle acceleration and braking, making it particularly suitable for HEVs, which rely on the electric motor to meet peak power needs during acceleration and can recapture energy normally wasted through braking to recharge the battery.

“The UltraBattery is a leap forward for low emission transport and uptake of HEVs,” said David Lamb, who leads low emissions transport research with the Energy Transformed National Research Flagship.

“Previous tests show the UltraBattery has a life cycle that is at least four times longer and produces 50 per cent more power than conventional battery systems. It’s also about 70 per cent cheaper than the batteries currently used in HEVs,” he added.

Over the past 12 months, a team of drivers has put the UltraBattery to the test at the Millbrook Proving Ground in the United Kingdom.

Here, the odometer of a low emission hybrid electric test vehicle reached 100,000 miles on January 17, as the car circled a track using the power of UltraBattery.

“Passing the 100,000 miles mark is strong evidence of the UltraBattery’s capabilities,” said Lamb.

“CSIRO’s ongoing research will further improve the technology’s capabilities, making it lighter, more efficient and capable of setting new performance standards for HEVs,” he added.

UltraBattery technology also has applications for renewable energy storage from wind and solar.

CSIRO is part of a technology start-up that will develop and commercialise battery-based storage solutions for these energy sources. (ANI)