Automotive Industries Unit 12

1 Read the article. Label the diagrams with the word(s) in bold.

Lithium-ion batteries
1 Operation: Lithium-ion batteries (li-ion, for short) are a type of rechargeable battery. During discharge, a lithium
ion moves from the anode to the cathode. While charging, a lithium ion moves from the cathode to the anode.
2 Applications: Li-ion batteries are used in consumer electronics such as laptops and mobile phones. They are also
used in other applications, for example in the automotive and aerospace industries because of their high energy-
to-weight ratios.
3 Components and Materials: The three main functional components of a li-ion battery are the anode, the cathode
and the electrolyte. Different materials can be used for their manufacture.
4 Advantages: Li-ion batteries are popular for several reasons. They have a high energy density. They lose charge
slowly when not in use: a li-ion battery pack loses about 5% of its charge per month, compared with a nickel-metal
hybride battery, which loses 20%. They have no memory effect. In other words, you do not have to discharge them
completely before recharging them.
A A B B
5 Energy-density: A typical li-ion battery can store approximately 150 watt-hours of electricity in 1 kg of battery. A
nickel-metal hybride battery pack can store about 60–70 watt-hours per kg. A lead-acid battery can store only
25 watt-hours per kg. So, lead-acid technology needs six times more battery weight than li-ion technology to
+ ++ ++ ++ +

store the same amount of energy.

– –– –– –– –

1 1 2 2
Charging

AA BB C C D D4 4 5 5

+ ++ ++ ++ +

– –– – – – – –

1 1 2 2
3 3 6 6

CC DD 4 4 5 5
2 Read the article again and complete the table.

lithium-ion (li-ion) nickel-metal hybride (NiMH) lead-acid

Watt-hours per kg of battery

3 3 % loss of charge per month
6 6

3 Underline the reduced relative clauses in these sentences.

1 The lithium batteries first made in the 1970s were not as safe as the current li-ion batteries.
2 Lithium moves into the anode or cathode, a process referred to as insertion.
3 Lithium moves out of the anode or cathode, a process referred to as extraction.
4 When the cell discharges, the lithium extracted from the anode is inserted into the cathode.
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J7276
5 When the cell charges, the lithium extracted from the cathode is inserted intoPEARSON
the anode.
PEARSONTechnical English
Technical English
Automotive Industries
Automotive Industries
6 The advantage of li-ion chemistry is the high open circuit voltage obtained in comparison to other
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batteries like lead-acid or nickel-metal hybride.
7 Laptops use the energy stored in the batteries through the movement of lithium ions.

© Pearson Longman 2008 www.pearsonlongman.com/technicalenglish

 Automotive Industries Unit 12

4 Insert which is / which were where possible in the sentences in 3.

Example: 1 The lithium batteries which were first made in the 1970s were not as safe as the current li-ion
batteries.

5 Read the FAQs from a press release about a new hybrid car. Then match the questions to the
correct answers below.

1 e When will the new lithium-ion battery-powered hybrid car go on sale?

2 Will this technology be used for luxury cars, for specialist cars, or for mass-produced cars?
3 Which technology was previously used for hybrid cars?
4 How do the new hybrid cars compare with previous hybrids?
5 What part of the car powers the car from standstill?
6 When does the petrol engine take over and power the car?
7 What sized car does the new hybrid compare with in performance?
8 Must the car be rested and recharged after it uses up its charge?
9 What is the fuel saving compared to a standard petrol-engine car?
10 How many cars using this new technology will be sold each year?
a) Sales forecasts are currently 100,000 units per annum.
b) The new hybrid should deliver a performance comparable to that of a 3.6 litre engine.
c) The new technology will be used for almost every model that is currently manufactured. This marks
the first time that the new technology is used for a mass-produced car.
d) The new hybrid is expected to save between 15 and 20% of the fuel currently used.
e) The new lithium-ion battery-powered hybrid car will go on sale in the year 2010.
f) To save fuel, the electric motor, powered by the battery, powers the car from a standing start.
g) Previously, battery-powered hybrids were based upon nickel-metal hybride technology.
h) As the car accelerates, the petrol engine takes over once the revs have reached the optimum level.
i) The new li-ion technology provides an engine that is 24% smaller, 40% lighter and 33% more powerful.
j) No, unlike all-electric vehicles, there is no necessity to stop using the vehicle to recharge it. The
braking system generates power to charge the battery during normal operation.

6 Complete parts of the vocabulary table with words from this unit. Use your notebook.
NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE
recharging recharge 1
storage 2 applicable
3 apply 4
function function
popularity 5 6
density popularise

© Pearson Longman 2008 www.pearsonlongman.com/technicalenglish

 Automotive Industries Unit 12

Word List
7 Write the meanings of these words and phrases in your own language.
NOUNS VERBS

aerospace discharge

anode extract

application insert

cathode ADJECTIVES

density hybrid

discharge luxury

effect optimum

electrolyte previous

extraction rechargeable

forecast

insertion

necessity

revs

standstill

NOUN PHRASES

lead-acid

lithium-ion

nickel-metal hybride

open circuit voltage

© Pearson Longman 2008 www.pearsonlongman.com/technicalenglish