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Mild hybrid vehicles – in which the electric motor and battery assist the internal combustion engine – will be dead within years as their technical complexity far outweighs any fuel and emissions savings. This is according to Mark Donaghy, marketing manager at battery manufacturer Valence Technology. His forecast came at a media briefing in London highlighting the potential benefits of lithium-iron battery technology and its potential  for the road transport industry.

"[Mild hybrids] are overly complex and expensive if you consider the actual fuel savings and tailpipe emissions they return. The difference in terms of economy and emissions between a mild hybrid and a modern diesel engine is negligible that's why we believe they will be overtaken in the not-too-distant future."

Alastair Johnston, Valence vice-president, worldwide sales and marketing, is quick to point out that lithium-iron batteries can be made using a variety of elements, namely cobalt oxide (common in laptops) and magnesium phosphate.

"Lithium-iron cobalt oxide batteries have a greater storage capacity, but lack the longevity of our batteries [lithium-iron magnesium phosphate]," he says.

Valence believes the light commercial vehicle sector represents the 'sweet spot' for its alternative technology. Johnston adds: "The majority of the time, light commercials run predefined urban routes and cover anything between 30 and  80 miles a day base-to-base. The 100-mile range of the batteries is fit for purpose as they can be simply recharged every night, ready for work the following day."

He points out that unlike the current cobalt-based batteries, phosphate units don't diminish after repeated charges and are good "for 2,500 to 2,800 full-cycle charges over a 10-year lifespan".

"Phosphate batteries are also safer than the regular ones found in your laptop, which become unstable above 160 degrees Celsius and can easily explode – so to use them in a commercial vehicle context would be risky. Look at what happened to Sony last year when it recalled 400,000 laptops for battery defects," says Johnston.

The company stresses that its technology will not be replacing the internal combustion engine any time soon as electric vehicles need to be supported by an adequate infrastructure.

Johnston also predicts that electric vehicle companies will be absorbed by major passenger and CV manufacturers, allowing them to buy quickly into the technology.

"Currently, Smith Electric Vehicles and the UK-based Tanfield Group (which have recently collaborated with Ford) make electrically powered commercial vehicles using lithium-iron magnesium phosphate batteries, but don't expect them to be the next big vehicle manufacturer.

"Vehicle manufacturers like Ford will simply absorb specialist companies like Smiths into their own research and development operations, paving the way for clean, sustainable transport."