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Phinergy's hybrid lithium-ion / aluminium-air battery

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From reading around, Phinergy (Israeli company) are working on a hybrid lithium-ion / aluminium-air battery concept, where the first few miles will be on the lithium ion battery and then the aluminium-air battery will kick in, giving the car a range of 1100 miles. The catch is that it will need a water refill every few hundred miles and will need a replacement for the aluminium-ion battery every 'few months' / few thousand miles. I don't have all the exact details, but I did read they have a partnership with alcoa, and have a potential partnership with Renault-Nissan to provide batteries in 2017.

Renault-Nissan To Use Phinergy’s Aluminum-Air Battery - HybridCars.com

What do you think of their technology? will it work? will people buy it if it does?
 
A lithium-ion battery pack with 200 miles of range for regular use plus an aluminum-air auxiliary battery for 500-1000 miles of additional range for when recharging is difficult or impossible that people replace every 1-3 years will work and be hot commodity.

Alcoa is pushing 40-50 miles of lithium ion range (which covers 80%+ of daily commutes) in order to sell more aluminum plates.
 
According to the article, it can generate 8.1kWh of energy, half electricity and half heat. If we assume Leaf sized vehicle with 8km/1kWh power consumption, 1kg of AL will have 32km=20 miles and 4kWh waste heat.

Now with 1100 miles, that's 1100 / 20 = 55kg or 121 pounds.

You'll need a crane at AL replacement stand and the crane needs to be customized to each vehicle. Also you'll have 4kWh waste heat in your 20-mile commute. If that takes 30 minutes, you'll keep 8kW heater with your car.

I'm not sure this is promising or not...
 
You'll need a crane at AL replacement stand and the crane needs to be customized to each vehicle. Also you'll have 4kWh waste heat in your 20-mile commute. If that takes 30 minutes, you'll keep 8kW heater with your car.

I'm not sure this is promising or not...

If there is not industry wide standardization I am sure there would be corporate customization.

You would get these exchanged at your local dealer or service center. Once ever 1-3 years would not be a PITA.

50% waste heat is still better than ICE and can be used to heat cabin.

I think these are a good idea on top of a ~200 mile range standard battery pack.