UCSD News

University of California, San Diego (UCSD) researchers working on the Modular Battery Exchange and Active Management (M-BEAM) project are developing a method to swap out and recharge small units in electric car batteries, known as modules. "This idea may seem straightforward, but there were some tough technical challenges that we had to solve to make this system robust and practical," says Lou Shrinkle, one of the M-BEAM project's sponsors. The researchers say the technology can make energy storage more configurable, promote safety, simplify maintenance, and eventually eliminate the use of fossil fuels for these applications. An effective battery module-swapping technique also could be applied to mobile and decentralized electrical energy storage systems. The researchers will test the technology on a cross-country trip with a car powered by the removable, rechargeable M-BEAM battery modules. To read further, please visit http://gcn.com/articles/2014/09/18/usgs-hazard-evacuation.aspx.