Supercapacitors Could Boost Mileage of Cars

Advances in supercapacitors could help boost fuel efficiency in cars and trucks, an article published by the American Chemical Society suggests. Unlike slow and steady batteries, supercapacitors gulp up energy rapidly and deliver it in fast, powerful jolts.

A growing array of consumer products is benefiting from these energy-storage devices, with cars and trucks - and their drivers ? poised to be major beneficiaries. Supercapacitors were first developed in the 1960s.

Researchers have since been pursuing new ways to improve them, but they still can't store as much energy as batteries, noted the article in Chemical and Engineering News, weekly news-magazine of the American Chemical Society.

They are mostly used in windmill blade control, solar energy systems and other niche applications, the article said.

But recent advances have allowed automakers to introduce start-stop cars such as hybrids and gasoline-powered vehicles that shut down their engines rather than idle and start up again when a driver hits the gas pedal. This type of system can help boost a vehicle's fuel efficiency.

Industry projections and investments suggest the future looks solid for these devices, according to the article.

Supercapacitor sales are expected to more than double over the next five years, and automakers are continuing to invest in supercapacitor research, experts said.