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Another product that would really be useful in the event of an emergency such as a major earthquake is this emergency light by Panasonic.
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This light takes any size batteries, truly making it convenient in the case of an emergency. If only a mixed assortment of …
Because batteries enjoy dying so much when we really need that last little bit of juice, low battery warnings really should be more animated than the plain “20% of battery remaining”. I don’t know how many times I’ve ignored that message. But if the alert made fun of me and said something like, “Oh I’ll just charge it tonight” You idiot, then my God I would listen to it so much more. More »
Lighter, less expensive and more energy dense than other secondary battery technologies, lithium-ion has become the dominant form of rechargeable battery today. It powers everything from mobile phones and laptops to cars and commercial jets. But there is one little problem—these batteries don’t just short circuit, they explode into flames. Here’s what goes on inside a lithium cell before it goes boom. More »
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After the recent fiasco with the new Boeing 787 Dreamliners and their melting lithium-ion batteries, it seems that Airbus won’t be taking any chances and will be dropping lithium-ion batteries when building their new A350 aircraft. The airplane manufacturer is afraid that regulatory uncertainties will delay production of its new plane.
However, Airbus says that the reason for not using these unpredictable lithium-ion batteries has nothing to do with safety concerns, but rather scheduling and the possible delay of the A350 aircrafts, which are expected to ship to airlines sometime during the summer next year. Airbus says that they don’t want the ongoing battery investigation to interfere with their production schedule.
Airbus will switch back to traditional nickel-cadmium batteries in the A350, mostly because the technology has been proven solid over the years, and they believe in the safety of the tried-and-true batteries. Of course, Boeing’s bold step toward lithium-ion technology was unprecedented and an ultimate game-changer, but it was a risk that ended up turning sour for the airplane manufacturer.
Airbus expects its new A350 to make its first test flight sometime this summer, and it will then undergo further test flights over the year. The manufacturer plans to seek certification from European aviation authorities by early 2014, with an expected launch date of summer 2014, where the new plane will finally be ferrying passengers around the world.
[via WSJ]
Airbus to skip lithium-ion batteries in new planes is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Amidst the ongoing brouhaha over rival Boeing‘s Dreamliner-grounding battery troubles, Airbus has decided not to use lithium-ion batteries in its newest aircraft, the A350, according to industry officials cited by the Wall Street Journal. The European plane maker is said to be making the change in an effort to stick to its plan of pressing the jet into commercial service by the middle of next year. While the craft’s early test flights this summer will still make use of four lithium-ion batteries for on-ground electrical power and as backup in the air as originally intended, it will be delivered to airlines with conventional nickel-cadmium batteries instead. Safety considerations are undoubtedly part of the picture, but since the A350 is already behind schedule by a couple of years, its manufacturer can’t afford any further delays — anticipated in case regulators find fault with the use of lithium-ion packs in flights. As Boeing struggles to find a fix and get the 787 back into the air, it seems Airbus has taken the easy way out.
[Image credit: Airbus S.A.S / H. Goussé]
Filed under: Transportation
Source: Wall Street Journal
Airbus is making plans to drop lithium-ion batteries from its upcoming A350 planes. The Wall Street journal reports that Airbus is taking the decision so that deliveries of the A350 are not delayed due to regulations over the lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries have previously caused Boeing’s Dreamliner planes to be grounded after two instances of burning aboard the planes. Questions have also been raised regarding safety standards of batteries especially sincethe cause of the incidents has not been found. Last month a fire broke out in a Dreamliner, and although the location of the fire has been found, its cause is still unknown. (more…)
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