It's likely that at some distant point in the future, lead-acid starter batteries will go the way of the dodo, at least in green cars. The fact is that newer technologies like nickel metal hydride and lithium ion are much lighter than the lead-acids currently underhood of nearly every car in the world. Still, advancements in lead-acid technology are being made, and as more and more vehicles begin demanding more from their batteries, the humble lead-acid battery is changing with the times. For instance, BMW's new efficient dynamics technology required a new battery capable of supporting high loads. Banner Batteries stepped up to the plate by offering a 90Ah AGM battery, which is capable of offering the necessary power for the stop/start micro-hybrid BMW.

Fortunately, nearly everything that goes into the lead-acid battery is recyclable. Over 95 percent of the lead-acids currently underhood will end up recycled, most likely into another battery. Europe takes up the slack for some other countries by recycling nearly 100 percent of their starter batteries. New sensors are also being added to lead-acid batteries in order to make them last longer. It's good to know that old dogs like lead-acid batteries are still learning new tricks.

[Source: Just-Auto - sub. req'd]

Cobasys, A123 Systems, Firefly, Altair Nanotechnologies, Johnson Controls, Saft Advanced Power Solutions. AutoblogGreen readers know these names and the high-tech batteries the companies' engineers are working on, but USA Today is introducing them to the Average American in near-hyperbolic terms: as rock stars.

I agree that battery companies are one of the domestic auto industry's potential saviors, but I've seen some execs from these companies, and I've yet to see a gaggle of groupies following them. Still, harnessing the power of electric energy to practically move cars might be as life changing to cars as the electric cable was to guitars. OK, now I'm the hyperbolic one.

Point is, car batteries a getting the "ooohhh, sexy" treatment in USA Today, with an article that looks at some of the big names in battery technology and how they might power EVs and PHEVs. The article itself is good, although not required reading for anyone who checks this site regularly. But now you know that the names we slightly obsess over are becoming fodder for the newspaper with all the charts and graphs in it.

Oooohhh, sexy.

[Source: Chris Woodyard / USA Today]

As we mentioned the other day, Firefly Energy is setting out to change the way we think of lead-acid batteries. Mil Ovan, Firefly Energy co-founder, spoke with AutoblogGreen about this new battery technology and what it might mean for PHEVs and EVs.

As for why a company that is initially building batteries for earthmoving and lawn care products, Ovan said name Firefly came about because fireflies produce "perfect light" (that is, without generating any heat). This graphite foam core material the company is using in their new battery technology has the heat dissipation characteristics of diamonds, which are far better than aluminum and copper, Ovan said. A cooler battery lasts longer, he said, and when you think of a firefly, you think of great power to weight ratio. If you're pushing less lead down the road, you're consuming less energy, no?

Read the entire Q&A interview after the jump.