EFCX,
Electric Fuel Develops Ultra High Performance Zinc-Air Micro Fuel Cell - New Fuel Cell Could Power Notebook Computer for Over 16 Hours -
NEW YORK, Nov 5, 2001 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Electric Fuel Corporation (Nasdaq: EFCX chart, msgs) announced today that it has developed an ultra high performance zinc-air micro fuel cell for consumer electronic applications. The cells outperform competing hydrogen, methanol and ethanol fuel cells currently under development for similar applications, based on publicly available data, indicating that they will be able to power more demanding products and last longer than promised -- but as yet undelivered -- solutions from other vendors.
(Photo:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20011105/NYM067 )
The new zinc-air micro fuel cells are expected to be available for commercial applications by as early as the second half of next year and are intended for use in notebook computers, certain hand-held power tools and similar high-power devices.
The novel fuel cells, with a specific energy of 400 Wh/kg, pack 50% more energy per ounce than the 3300 mAh cells used in Electric Fuel's INSTANT POWER(TM) batteries and chargers for cellphones and PDAs. In one configuration, the new fuel cells have a capacity of 30Ah, measure just 3" (7.6 cm) square, are about a quarter of an inch (0.7 cm) thick, and weigh only 3 ounces (90 grams). In a notebook computer application, a power-pack based on the new fuel cells could be expected to last over 16 hours.
Unlike conventional batteries, zinc-air fuel cells work by extracting oxygen from the atmosphere to react with zinc metal fuel and produce electricity. Electric Fuel's zinc-air micro fuel cells incorporate technologies that have already been implemented in portable consumer electronic products for several years, while experimental fuel cells based on hydrogen, methanol or ethanol that are striving for the same market have yet to be tested in real-world environments.
Yehuda Harats, Electric Fuel President and CEO, said, "We believe that it will be many more years before the other developmental fuel cell technologies can achieve the high-energy performance that we have already reached with our zinc-air micro fuel cells. No other company has come close to packing so much energy in such a small, lightweight package, and that has major implications for use in commercial products."
About Electric Fuel
Electric Fuel Corporation (http://www.electric-fuel.com), with corporate and sales offices in New York and London, England, and manufacturing and R&D facilities in Israel and Alabama, is a world leader in primary and refuelable Zinc-Air fuel cell technology, pioneering advancements in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and defense and safety products. Electric Fuel's Instant Power batteries and chargers are based on the Company's patented, cutting-edge Zinc-Air fuel cell technology, and are on sale at retail outlets throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Israel. |
