Getting the most out of an electric-car battery

New York Times : New York Times energy and environment blogger Jim Witkin predicts over the next five years car-battery technology will see big breakthroughs, which will increase the range and reduce the costs of electric cars. Nothing can change the fact that any rechargeable battery will gradually lose its energy storage capacity after repeated charging and discharging. However, although the battery may no longer power a car, it can still have enough energy capacity for other purposes. Hence, multiple ventures are under way to explore second-life applications, such as using the batteries in the electric utility grid to help manage power flow. And because reuse may be the most viable option for the many batteries that will be required to run the electric cars of the future, new automobile financial and ownership models are being proposed. One possibility is the automaker’s or finance company’s retaining ownership of the battery and leasing it to the car’s owner; then the owner would pay only for the portion of the battery used while it’s in the car.