As part of a continuous program to develop and evaluate advanced battery concepts for vehicle propulsion, General Motors has built and operated a dual battery test vehicle, the XEP, to explore the potential and problems of a mechanically rechargeable zinc-air energy battery. The zinc-air battery is economically attractive and has sufficient power density to have potential as a power source for low performance vehicles and to be used as an energy battery augmented by a power battery as a dual battery power source for higher performance vehicular applications.
Although the XEP vehicle was operated successfully, it was concluded that a mechanically rechargeable zinc-air battery was not practical. The encouraging performance and attractive economic features of the zinc-air battery provide the justification for continuous research and development efforts to evolve an electrically rechargeable battery that could have considerable potential as a practical power source for specific vehicular applications.
