Future cars could be powered by their bodywork

(Text & photo: SmartPlanet) New battery technology could help cars of the future use their own bodywork as a battery. Researchers from Imperial College London and European partners that include Volvo are developing a prototype material that’s strong and light enough to be used as a car’s skin but can store and discharge electrical energy. The plan of the €3.4 million project is to bolster the charging capacity of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to make them lighter and more energy efficient, allowing drivers to travel longer distances before needing to recharge. (Read the whole story here.)