Is THIS The Battery Technology That Will CHANGE The Technology And Car Biz?

Could Apple be behind yet another major creation that can shift the way we go about our daily lives? That's to be determined; however, there's some interesting news coming from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

According to reports, Apple has been busy at work building products that are powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Claims have been cited as saying they eliminated "the need for a bulky and heavy battery."

Anyone following the automotive industry, and the new wave of electric vehicles knows, that the BIGGEST hurdles to overcome with an electric product is its battery's size and weight -- obviously, weight making the alternative energy products less efficient.

In addition, current battery technology has not kept pace with other technological innovation and is largely cited as the biggest problem with alternative energy vehicles.

Although technology firms file patents for plenty of gadgetry that never sees the light of day, do YOU think THIS kind of technology is what we need to jumpstart battery tech going forward?

Would a more robust battery make you take another look at an all-new alternative energy vehicle?


The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office have received proposals from Apple that indicate the electronics company is working on products powered by hydrogen fuel cells, that they claim have the potential to stay charged for weeks, and “eliminates the need for a bulky and heavy battery...

...In October, another pair of Apple patent applications were published showing that the company was looking into ways to grasp more fuel from lighter hydrogen fuel cels. The Daily Mail notes that while the iPhone 4s was released shortly after Apple icon Steve Jobs’s death, “a technological breakthrough like an entirely different battery would be a massive upswing for the company...

 

 

Read Article

vdiv - 12/26/2011 11:25:15 PM

+2 Boost

"Is THIS The Battery Technology That Will CHANGE The Technology And Car Biz?"

No.

ceric - 12/27/2011 2:17:30 AM

+2 Boost

This is new because Apple says so?
You do know that the maker of said hydrogen battery is a Taiwanese company, right?

Joe_Limon - 12/27/2011 3:02:44 AM

+2 Boost

hydrogen is a terrible source if they are aiming at reducing weight. Its low energy density means you need to store a lot more of it to make up similar energy stores. In other words, a hydrogen battery/fuel cell will only be heavier then a lithium battery.

mpls - 12/27/2011 5:43:03 AM

0 Boost

Apple invents nothing, I bet they ar edescribing things other companies have actualy invented and processed..

Agent00R - 12/27/2011 9:10:22 AM

+3 Boost

@mpls

It doesn't matter who invents something if it doesn't see the light of day. The key part here is that Apple has the capability to make it available on a large scale.

This also applies to Microsoft who literally purchased their OS before modifying it for IBM who made it widely available for PC buyers.

aboodesta - 12/28/2011 2:47:59 PM

+1 Boost

Actually, apple just has the capability of marketing the hell out of anything, and the result is people thinking apple created it.

mpls - 12/28/2011 1:11:22 PM

+1 Boost

I read the article, it's application is to powwer cellp phones and pads etc.. If applying to cars, I'm sure Honda have already a working solution with the FCX clarity.
As for the apple filing, ethanol based fuels cells have been demontrated at least 5 years ago by japanese companies powering phones etc..
At the end of the day , safety is the key issue.. What Apple claims is nothing new, and can be challenged easily..