Flow batteries have been around for some time in stationary applications. For vehicular use, they have the attractive qualities that they can be recharged, not only by plugging into a charger at home, but by replacing the electrolytes. Replacement of electrolytes is about as fast as filling a tank with petrol (gasolene).
Electrolytes removed from the battery can be recharged & reused indefinitely.
So why aren't flow batteries used in vehicles? To date, flow batteries have been restricted to stationary applications because of their size & weight.
Batteries of many types are now undergoing intense development. Lithium ion has had the most success to date. However, even the best solutions remain a balancing act between cost, range, size, & weight, with recharge times remaining the Archilles heel. If similar development efforts could overcome the size & weight problems, the recharge options would make flow batteries an ideal energy source for electric vehicles.
http://evworld.com/focus.cfm?cid=181 / electric vehicle automobile EV car recharge charge driving range gasoline model refueled minutes time long driving trip home overnight fuel fueling petrol gas filling station researcher research flow batteries reported breakthrough Illinois Institute of Technology IIT chemical battery fuel cell electrolyte fluids rich metallic ions ion vandanium chromium exchange ion ions across membrane generate generating electric current replace the fluids recycled indefinitely electricity electric grid reverse process charge charging research groups technology Massachusetts MIT University of Michigan Fraunhofer Institute Germany Argonne Labs IIT technology bulky low energy density by volume lithium ion LiIon lithium-ion battery 150-200 Wh/liter litre energy Vandanium flow battery might be 20-35 Wh/liter power density 60-100 W/L versus 275 W/L for lithium University of Southampton in England experimented experiment prototype hybrid car lithium early Vanadium flow battery, weight mass volume success of a flow battery transport transportation grid energy storage working fluid accommodate more ions water breakdown voltages 1.2V Volt Volts Stanford University research paper technology disruptive innovation order of magnitude increase energy power density critical limiting factor solubility electroactive species electrolyte solution team researchers Argonne National Labs IIT $3.4 million ARPA-E research grant U.S. Energy Department nanoelectrofue disruptive innovation industry technology nano-scale materials ions lithium safe to handle liquid hydrogen ammonia recycle recycled environmentally benign methanol ammonia /
