The electric current density possible with such windings is approximately 30 to 100 times greater than the values achievable with copper coils at room temperature.
Plus, according to Andy Chu, vice president of marketing and communications at battery-maker A123, because hybrids do not rely solely on electric, they can afford to sacrifice some energy density and stick with the NiMH without fear of running out of juice.
Bosch reckons that for electric cars to become universally popular, a threefold increase in energy density and a fall of two-thirds in the price of batteries will be needed.