Economic Analysis of the Zinc-Chloride Battery in Mobile Applications

The zinc-chloride battery system is being developed for electric vehicle and load-leveling applications. The mobile configuration is the result of placing design emphasis on those areas that significantly impact electric vehicle (EV) performance and life cycle costs. Energy density, power density, packaging, and battery operating voltage primarily effect vehicle performance, which in turn effects market penetration. The zinc-chloride battery, in the mobile configuration, is described and the resultant EV performance briefly reviewed. Assuming that these vehicle characteristics meet market needs, this paper examines the life cycle cost of operating an internal combustion engine (ICE) powered van, breakeven capital cost for a comparable battery powered van, and the sensitivity of the cost elements.