Japanese nonwoven battery applications

Nonwovens use is increasing in electric automobiles and the difference between pure electric vehicles (PEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) is explained. Toyota commercialised the first price equivalent HEV passenger car comparable with conventionally powered cars in 1997 and Honda followed in 1999. Panasonic EV Energy manufacture the nickel-hydrogen battery powering both cars. The construction of a nickel-hydrogen battery is explained and it includes electrode separators made of polyolefin nonwovens, the functions of which are described. Japan Vilene, Tokyo, produces these nonwovens and leads a market difficult to enter. Such electrode separators are also used in cell phone and notebook personal computer batteries but the electric automobile market is forecast to increase as greater numbers of electric cars are manufactured.