Where is my ultracapacitor-powered vehicle?

Dude, where is your ultracapacitor?

I love the term 'ultracapacitor'. It's just too easy to hear Scotty telling Captain Kirk that the ultracapacitors just don't seem to be working correctly.

Yet, ultracapacitors aren't just some Star Trek fantasy. Ultracapacitors appear to have an incredibly important role to play in the future of automobiles. Thus, it was very interesting to read that Maxwell Technologies and Valeo have entered into partnership negotiations to develop a new 14+X StARS (starter alternator reversible system), as an alternative to today's mild hybrid systems.

"Because its energy storage employs high-efficiency, low-cost, ultracapacitor technology rather than costly nickel metal hydride or lithium-ion batteries, StARS 14+X can deliver 80 percent of the benefit of a mild hybrid system at 20 percent of the cost," said Daniel Richard, Director, R&D Valeo Electrical Systems. "Tax incentives and free access to high occupancy vehicle lanes have helped to stimulate demand for current premium-priced hybrid cars as niche products, but we believe that mass adoption of low-emission vehicles and much greater benefits in reduced CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions will be driven by the availability of more cost-effective hybrid architectures."

Hopefully, these ultracapacitors can move beyond mild hybrid use to help make full hybrid vehicles even more cost-effective.

(press release)