Volvo says structural battery is safe

Working with Imperial College London and eight other participants, the team set out to supersede the heavy and expensive batteries found in EVs and hybrid-electric cars with structural batteries that can replace certain metal body parts - door, roof, floor and bonnet - and provide power.

Volvo believes the concept could take 15 per cent off an EV/HEV’s weight and extend its range by around 130km.

The work, part of a European Union research project, has led to the development of a material consisting of a reinforced carbon fibre material that sandwiches the new battery and is formed to fit around the car’s frame. The carbon fibre laminate is first layered, shaped and then cured in an oven to set and harden. Super capacitors are then integrated within the component skin.

Inevitably, such an advance raises questions surrounding the viability of battery/super capacitor life, passenger safety, and the potential for recycling.