Electric Car Powered Entirely by Capacitors

Buckle those seatbelts. Researchers at the University of Tokyo have built an electric car powered entirely by capacitors.

The Japanese hotrod, built at the University's Institute of Industrial Science, contains 21 capacitors, each of which weighs 1.9 kg. And it takes just one minute to fully recharge, compared to 10 minutes for an electric car powered by batteries. This is because capacitors store energy within the electric field between two conductors, which makes it very easy to control.

Unfortunately, it's not likely to win any drag races. The capacitor-powered vehicle has a top speed of 50 km per hour and can only go for 20 minutes between charges. But making electric or hybrid vehicles recharge faster would be a bonus. Especially as oil prices make alternative electric vehicles look better and better these days.

NewScientist