Mercedes to develop hybrids with ultracapacitors

Mercedes partners with Maxwell Technologies on ultracapacitors

Over the last year or two, there has been much talk about ultracapacitors and hybrid cars. And, in just the last couple of weeks, ZENN Motors stated that EEStor's - a ZENN partner - ultracapacitor breakthrough could make internal combustion engines "unnecessary".

Essentially, ultracapacitors help with both energy storage and power delivery, and they could ultimately replace both batteries and internal combustion engines - a development ZENN and EEStor claim is at hand.

Maxwell Technologies, however, is doubtful of the ZENN claim. Maxwell has spent far more money on ultracapacitors than EEStor and ZENN and is a pretty reliable critic on the matter. Still, a good idea isn't always expensive, and it is possible that EEStor has achieved something amazing.

Thus, Maxwell isn't waiting around. Just today, Maxwell announced that it will help Mercedes develop an advanced hybrid powertrain that will utilize ultracapacitors.

"David Schramm, Maxwell's president and chief executive officer, said that the contract provides for funding from Mercedes to develop a new BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitor cell specifically designed to meet the energy storage and power delivery requirements of one of Mercedes' torque assist and recuperative braking systems."

The end of the internal combustion engine - ZENN Motors?

ZENN ready to shock the world, literally?

When I was at HybridFest, one of the most interesting vehicles on display was this little electric vehicle from ZENN. Still, it was hard to imagine that such a tiny vehicle could be successful.

Well, what if it achieved 500 miles of electric energy with just a 5 minute charge? What if it meant the end of ALL electrochemical batteries? The end of gasoline?

That's the claim being made by EEStor and one of its main funders and partners ZENN Motor Co.

“It’s a paradigm shift,” said Ian Clifford, chief executive of Toronto-based ZENN Motor Co., which has licensed EEStor’s invention according to MSNBC. “The Achilles’ heel to the electric car industry has been energy storage. By all rights, this would make internal combustion engines unnecessary.”

Yes, there are oodles and oodles of skeptics, and with the tiny budget EEStor has functioned upon so far with, it wouldn't be surprising to find out the hype is just a stab at raising much needed funds. Of course, if ZENN and EEStor are real, the world is on the verge of an almost incomprehensible revolution.