At 11:54 AM 6/28/2009, Poppie Jagersand wrote:
>Now I'd wouldn't run out and buy one right away. While the cell
>technology is mature by now, there's electronics inside these
>batteries to control charging, discharging currents and maintain
>cell voltage balance. I'd like to see how this electronics hold up
>in automobile service first. But the promise for the future is
>great. A battery weighing 1/5 of the Lead Acid, lasting 10 times
>longer and not costing much more.

But since lithium is an extremely active metal, always a potential
fire hazard, and an active one if the electronics don't do their job
correctly.  And class D fires are hard to put out.  This has already
become a real issue with cell-phone and laptop batteries using
lithium.  I'd think it would be preferable to relocate such batteries
outside the passenger compartment...

  --
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'89 Po' White Star "Scamp"