As part of an EU-funded research project, Volvo engineers have come up with an ingenious way of making lightweight energy storage components, or batteries in plain English. In essence, there are nano batteries integrated into the car’s body panels.

The system uses carbon fibers, nano-structured batteries and super capacitors, to make eco-friendly, compact, lightweight, and cost-effective storage units. It can replace the conventional battery in your car, but the main goal of this concept is to eliminate the need for the heavyweight, large size and high cost batteries in today’s hybrids and electric cars.

It took over three and a half years to develop, but Volvo Nano Battery technology is now a fully functioning system featured in an S80 experimental vehicle. How they came across this solution and how it works is quite a complicated matter, but apparently it is based on a combination of carbon fibers and a polymer resin, creating a very advanced nanomaterial, and structural super capacitors.

The carbon fiber laminate is first layered, shaped and then cured in an oven to set and harden. The super capacitors are integrated within the component skin. This material can then be used around the vehicle, replacing existing components, to store and charge energy. The material is recharged and energized by the use of brake energy regeneration in the car or by plugging into a main electrical grid. Volvo says this system also charges and stores faster than conventional batteries.

These panels can be disguised as anything in the car; doors, trunk lid, even wheel bowls. Just about the only drawback would the cost of repairing those panels in case of an accident. A fender with integrated nano batteries won’t be cheap!