Hybrid Vehicle Super Capacitor

Advances in the Super capacitor or Ultra capacitor will the key to the success of the hybrid electric vehicle.  The Super capacitor is an electrochemical capacitor that has a usually high energy density compared to common capacitors.  General Electric developed the first super capacitor in 1957 using a porous carbon electrode. 

Super capacitors can quickly store large amounts of electricity and discharge the electricity on demand to batteries or electric motors which can propel vehicles.  Traditional rechargeable batteries require recharge times hundreds of time longer than super capacitors.  Also super capacitors have very high charge-discharge cycles compared to rechargeable batteries.  The charge-discharge cycles for a super capacitor can be in the millions compared to the best rechargeable battery cycle of 1000.  The super capacitor has no disposable parts during it long life cycle making it environmentally friendly. 

The Super capacitor’s disadvantages are the amount of energy stored per unit weight is lower than that of a battery.  The voltage varies with the amount of stored energy.  Recovery of energy in a Super capacitor would require advanced electronic controls. 

The Super capacitor could store energy produced from generators, solar panels, regenerative brakes, and heat normally wasted from the engine.  When batteries require recharging or additional electricity is required for electric motors in a hybrid electric vehicle the Super capacitor can release this stored electricity.

Super capacitors are currently used in electric racing cars that need a large amount of energy in a short period of time.

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