A CLOSER ANALYSIS OF THE ULTRABATTERY ®

What Is The UltraBattery®?The UltraBattery is unique from a traditional lead batterydesign. The UltraBattery combines the advantages of anAdvanced VRLA (a carbon-enhanced Valve RegulatedLead-Acid) battery with the advantages of an asymmetricsupercapacitor. This enables the optimal balance of an energy storing lead battery with the quick chargeacceptance, power discharge, and longevity of a capacitor.

While capacitors accept and deliver high levels of power,they can’t store much energy, and therefore, are quicklydepleted. They are often used in conjunction with batteriesto provide both power and energy. Using the two togetherusually requires electronic controllers and complexalgorithms to balance power and energy between bothunits. The UltraBattery eliminates the need for additionalelectronic control and multiple energy storage devicessince both energy storage and capacitor functions areintegrated into one battery unit.

How Does The UltraBattery® Compare ToTraditional Automobile Batteries?Traditionally, lead-acid batteries for automotive use aredesigned to provide power for cranking the engine. The vastmajority of time the battery is maintained in a high state ofcharge so that it will have enough engine starting power.

However, as traditional vehicle designs evolve to rely on anelectric motor to meet peak acceleration needs whilerecapturing the energy from braking, the battery is requiredto operate under different power demands and rechargingcapabilities. Conventional lead batteries, even those of anAbsorbed Glass Mat (AGM) or Gelled Electrolyte VRLAdesign, will have limited longevity when operated underthese conditions.

The UltraBattery is designed to operate at a Partial State ofCharge (PSOC). From start-stop features to regenerativebreaking and power assistance, the UltraBattery is requiredto accept and deliver large current pulses in PSOCconditions.

The UltraBattery enhanced design extends the battery’slongevity in a type of service that would severely shorten atraditional battery’s life due to sulfation. Under laboratoryevaluation, the UltraBattery meets or exceeds the targets ofpower, available energy, cold cranking, and self-dischargeset by the US FreedomCar for both minimum and maximumpower-assist HEV systems.

Separator Separator Separator

Carbon ElectrodePbO2Carbon ElectrodePbO2PbPbO2

Lead-Acid Cell Asymmetric Supercapacitor UltraBattery

What Applications Benefit Most From TheUltraBattery® Design?The UltraBattery is ideal for HEVs which utilize regenerative energybreaking events to help recharge the battery and power assistfunctions to help conserve fuel consumption. The UltraBattery canaccept and deliver higher current pulses than an Advanced AGMVRLA battery product, and performs better under High-Rate PartialState of Charge (HRPSOC) conditions.

In fact, UltraBattery prototypes were tested by the Advanced LeadAcid Battery Consortium (ALABC) on the General Motors’ MillbrookProving Grounds in England (see figure 1). The battery pack of aModerate HEV, was replaced with an UltraBattery pack. TheUltraBattery pack’s volume was no greater than the Nickel-MetalHydride (Ni-MH) battery pack that was replaced. The UltraBatterypack performed exceptionally well with no maintenance or modulebalancing. Measured fuel economy and CO2 emissions wereessentially equal to the traditional Ni-MH battery pack.

Two moderate hybrid UltraBattery cars with modified UltraBatterypacks are also making significant inroads toward the hybrid electricvehicle market.

One of these UltraBattery cars, supported by the DOE and ALABC,has reached over 100,000 miles in some of the country’s hottestconditions in Phoenix, Arizona. Not only has it performedexceptionally well with an over 2-year old pack in high heat, but it isalso running in a fleet operation that creates extreme severe serviceconditions with no significant loss in module capacity.

A second UltraBattery car undergoes consistent road testing andbattery system analysis at East Penn’s manufacturing complex inLyon Station, PA. The 3-year old battery pack, with over 75,000miles, was evaluated during its milestone of 50,000 miles.

The battery pack showed no performance degradation. In fact, theindividual module voltages actually converged as they aged. Thisfurther proves UltraBattery technology can diminish the complexityand expense of other battery technologies and their batterymonitoring systems.

East Penn has developed other UltraBattery pack solutions for 48-volt systems. This pack is being designed for easy integration.Its Battery Management System is characterized for optimized usewith the UltraBattery design. As a complete custom systemintegrator, East Penn has the experience and resources to developother types of special packs and voltage configurations forcustomized needs.

Renewable energy sources like wind and solar are currently beingtested with the UltraBattery product because of its ability to performwell under a High-Rate Partial State of Charge (HRPSOC). Wind andsolar energy generation applications may have constraints on powergeneration including maximum generation levels and rates ofchange of power generation. The power storage managementenabled by the UltraBattery helps to maximize the efficiency of itsenergy generation. The UltraBattery has been under evaluation in asimulated wind application test at Sandia National Laboratories. Itperformed exceptionally well in terms of extended cycle life andpower capacity (see figure 2). More testing is currently beingperformed at Sandia National Laboratories showing promising resultfor the UltraBattery in other wind and photovoltaic applications.

The UltraBattery provides the most effective technology (cost andpracticality) to build storage solutions to support electrical gridstabilization. The UltraBattery’s superior performance under HRPSOCconditions is ideal for providing frequency regulation ancillary anddemand management services to optimize grid efficiency.

Figure 1. Shows the UltraBattery test vehicle when it went over 100K miles withouta conditioning charge on January 15, 2008. The UltraBattery demonstrated bettercycle life performance than the replaced Ni-MH battery pack.

Figure 2. Shows East Penn’s UltraBattery performance in simulated windapplication tests at Sandia National Laboratories. The UltraBattery lasts14,000 cycles longer than a standard VRLA battery and maintains ahigher capacity rating.

HRPSOC CYCLE NUMBER

SANDIA TESTING - ULTRABATTERY®

% O

F IN

ITIA

L CA

PACI

TY

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

0 2,000 6,000 10,000 14,000 18,0004,000 8,000 12,000 16,000 20,000

UltraBattery STANDARD VRLA(1C Rate)

UltraBattery Hybrid Test Vehicle

42- and 48- Volt Pack Solutions

Why Use The UltraBattery® Over OtherAlternative Battery Chemistries?The UltraBattery product is very “Green.” Green in an environmentalsense because it can be recycled the same way as any other leadbattery product, and green in a monetary sense because it has oneof the lowest cost-per-power ratios. In fact, the cost is significantlyless than Lithium Ion and Nickel-Metal Hydride products. Thisallows one of the most cost effective solutions for many HEV,renewable wind and solar, electrical grid ancillary services, andMotive Power applications.

An innovative recycling infrastructure has been developed tovirtually recycle 100% of a lead battery, and regulations ensure thatthese products are returned to appropriate locations. This appliesfor the UltraBattery as well. Other battery chemistries can’t comeclose to the recycling advances and developed infrastructure toreclaim the lead-acid product. The innovative processes forrecycling lead-acid batteries and the facilities that support it haveprogressively advanced over the years to become one of thegreatest recycling success stories in the global marketplace.

The UltraBattery has proven itself test after test in terms of cycle lifeperformance over Ni-MH batteries. The cycling performance of theUltraBattery was evaluated against Ni-MH cells using a simplifieddischarge and charge profile to simulate HEV driving conditions(see figure 3). The EUCAR power-assist was used to simulateModerate HEV driving conditions (see figure 4).

The battery was subjected to each of the tests repetitively until thevoltage reached the specified cut-off voltage. These screening testsgive valuable insight into the UltraBattery’s potential cycle lifeperformance.

The UltraBattery technology is also one of the most cost effective and safest solutions for larger battery installations (like those forrenewable wind and solar power generation) compared to alternativebattery technologies. The charging and discharging of lead batteries at rates from a few milliamps to many thousands of amps isperformed safely on a daily basis. Lead batteries operate safely atwide ranging ambient temperatures and in every geographicallocation from hot desert conditions to cold arctic environments. These attributes prove that lead chemistry is an abuse tolerant,versatile, and safe technology, which is especially critical when thereis a large amount of battery power in one location.

While East Penn continues to explore new alternative batterytechnologies, the company also strongly believes there is an evolvingrole for lead technology in a growing number of applications.UltraBattery technology as well as other advancements in new batterytechnology helps prove that East Penn’s beliefs are well founded.

The company is excited to further explore the UltraBattery as itserves the HEVs of today, and the future Electric Vehicles oftomorrow. The UltraBattery’s future role in smart electrical gridtechnology will be a significant asset to the efficiency of itsdevelopment as well as assimilation of wind and solar power. TheUltraBattery is an exciting new power solution that will have themost immediate impact on cost effective energy conservation andenvironmental protection efforts.

CYCLE NUMBER

EUCAR POWER-ASSIST TEST

END

OF D

ISCH

ARGE

VOL

TAGE

/V

END

OF D

ISCH

ARGE

VOL

TAGE

/V

3.0

4.5

6.0

7.5

9.0

10.5

12.0

0.5

0.8

1.1

1.4

1.7

2.0

0 50,000 150,000 250,000 350,000100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000

Standard VRLA Battery & Cell Ni-MH Cell UltraBattery

Cut-off voltage of lead-acid cell and battery

Cut-off voltage of Ni-MH cell

CYCLE NUMBER

SIMPLIFIED PROFILE DISCHARGE AND CHARGE TEST

END

OF D

ISCH

ARGE

VOL

TAGE

/V

END

OF D

ISCH

ARGE

VOL

TAGE

/V

3.04.56.07.59.0

10.512.013.515.0

0.50.751.01.251.51.752.02.252.5

0 10,000 30,000 50,000 70,000 90,00020,000 40,000 60,000 80,000

Standard VRLA Ni-MH Cell

Cut-off voltage of lead-acid cell and battery

Cut-off voltage of Ni-MH cell

72,000

75,000

UltraBattery

Figure 3. Demonstrates the cycling performance of standard VRLA cells, the UltraBattery, and a Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) cell. The UltraBatteryreaches the cut-off voltage at 75,000 cycles, which is about 5.8 times longerthan that of the VRLA control cells.

The Ni-MH cell, like the one presently used in Moderate HEVs, reaches thecut-off voltage at about 72,000 cycles.

Figure 4. Demonstrates the cycling performance of a standard VRLA cell, astandard VRLA battery, an UltraBattery, and a Ni-MH cell. The voltage of astandard VRLA cell decreases gradually until it reaches the cut-off voltageafter 32,500 cycles. The voltage of the standard VRLA battery also decreasesgradually until it reaches the cut-off at 73,100 cycles. The Ni-MH cell reachesthe cut-off voltage of 0.95V after 180,000 cycles. The UltraBattery reaches thecut-off voltage after 373,000 cycles. The results show that the cyclingperformance of the UltraBattery is much longer than the Ni-MH cell.

Renewable EnergyIntegration

Grid Anciliary Services

World’s Largest and Most Modern Single-Site Battery Manufacturing Facility

Lyon Station, PA 19536-0147 Phone: 610-682-6361 Fax: 610-682-4781 www.eastpenn-deka.com

All data subject to change without notice. No part of this document may be copied or reproduced, electronically or mechanically, without written permission from the company.

East Penn’s quality manufacturing is recognized worldwide and has met the global requirements of ISO 9001 and ISO/TS 16949certification standards. East Penn is also a leader in innovativerecycling and has met global environmental requirements of ISO 14001 certification standards.

Staffed with a long-term management team, East Penn is anindependent company committed to the future and dedicated toproducing high-class products and service to assure completesatisfaction, above and beyond the industry standard, to our partners and customers worldwide.

S ince 1946, East Penn has been producing high quality batteries and battery accessories for the automotive, commercial, marine, industrial,

stationary, and specialty markets.

Facilities at its 520-acre manufacturing complex at Lyon Station, PA includefour automotive battery plants, an industrial battery plant, a specialty batteryplant, a state-of-the-art oxide facility, an innovative recycling infrastructure,and dozens of vertically integrated capabilities and other support facilities.An additional manufacturing facility in Corydon, IA helps accommodatewidespread growth. East Penn owns and operates a wire, cable, and batteryaccessory plant and a multiple facility distribution center just miles awayfrom its Lyon Station complex.

New high-tech facilities and computer monitoring and control systems havemade the company an industry leader in advanced battery manufacturing.

SMELTER AND REFINERY

INDUSTRIAL BATTERY PLANT

AUTOMOTIVE BATTERY PLANT A-3

CENTRAL SERVICES

CABLE AND WIRE PLANTINJECTION MOLDING / FLEET MAINTENANCE

DISTRIBUTION CENTER

CORYDON, IOWA BATTERY PLANT A-5 OXIDE / RAIL SIDING

KELLER TECHNICAL CENTER

SPECIALTY BATTERY PLANT S-1 AUTOMOTIVE BATTERY PLANT A-4

E.P.M. Form No. 1562 Rev. 10/18 © 2018 by EPM Printed in U.S.A.