By using a capacitor instead, Mazda saves weight and space and, unlike a battery, it can chargeanddischarge instantly without deteriorating during prolonged use.
Last month, the most exciting news was from UCLA, where a small team of researchers developed a micro-scale graphene-based supercapacitor that can chargeanddischarge a hundred to a thousand times faster than current batteries.
The chemical that allows the battery to charge or discharge is held in vessels outside of the battery and it flows between the electrodes when it is time to do some work.