OSAKA -- Technologies coming out of Japan promise to make electric vehicles safer by reducing the chances of battery fires. The innovations should also make the cars more efficient.
Daikin Industries, best known for its air conditioners, and Nippon Kodoshi, a maker of capacitor separators, have each developed ways to improve the heat resistance of electric cars' lithium-ion batteries. This will eliminate the need for a battery-cooling system, cutting power consumption as well as body weight. Single-charge mileage stands to increase by up to 30-40%.
