In Germany an all-electric (converted) Audi A2 recently traveled 375 miles on a single charge of its impressive battery pack.  The trip took place from Munich to Berlin while averaging about 55 mph and with the heat on.

The Audi was converted to all-electric by DBM Energy, running on its state-of-the art battery pack.  The company, headed by 27-year-old Mirko Hannemann,  has developed the battery with what they call the KOLIBRI AlphaPolymer Technology. According to Hannemann, the battery is able to operate with 97 percent efficiency and is easily charged with nearly any power source. More impressively, the company claims that if charged with a high-voltage system, the battery can reach a full charge in 6 minutes.

The limited range of an electric car on a single charge has been a source of much discussion and hand-wringing amongst journalists, car manufacturers, EV enthusiasts and, especially, electric car naysayers. We've seen a decent mark of around 80-100 miles set by the Nissan LEAF while the Tesla Roadster is able to run an impressive 250+ miles, however, the debate over "range anxiety" is present in nearly any debate about the use of electric vehicles.

General Motor's Chevy Volt overcomes the range concern by providing an onboard gas engine to charge the battery once it's drained a certain amount. This method seems to appeal to many potential customers looking to overcome the limitations of an electric car, but all-electric car purists find this solution unsatisfying.

If DBM Energy is for real and the company's battery packs can scale up to a production level while remaining affordable, we may be on the verge of turning a new page in the debate.  Traveling over 300 miles on a single charge and being able to fully charge the battery again in under 10 minutes would alleviate most any serious concerns about electric car range anxiety.

Source: UPI