Battery powered electric cars will most likely play a major role in future of mobility. What was not known so far, however, was how environmentally friendly the manufacture, operation and disposal of the rechargeable batteries are. Empa researchers have now, for the first time, calculated the ecological footprint of the most commonly used type, the lithium-ion battery. The result is better than expected – a conventional car with a petrol engine must consume less than 4 liters of fuel per 100km or about 70 mpg (miles per gallon) in order to be as environmentally friendly as modern electric cars.

Extra-hard coatings made from diamond-like carbon (DLC) extend the operating lifetime of tools and components. In artificial joints, however, these coatings often fail because they detach. Empa researchers found out why – and developed methods to both make the interface between the DLC layer and the metal underneath corrosion-resistant and to predict the lifetime of the implants.

Empa has taken off – from 7 to 8 July, the “Solar Impulse” aircraft successfully made its first night flight, and the pilot, André Borschberg, was “wrapped up” almost completely in Empa technology. His suit, designed for both protection and comfort, along with the matching seat, were developed by Empa researchers especially for this showpiece project to protect Borschberg as well as the second pilot and co-initiator Bertrand Piccard from the extreme conditions in the cockpit.

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