IBM and SANYO Demo Fuel Cell Batteries

By Ian Bell Published April 11, 2005

Leveraging SANYO’s latest advancements in fuel cells that increase the longevity of notebook batteries, IBM and SANYO jointly developed a basic design of a fuel cell power source. Based on thedesign, the companies developed a prototype fuel cell system that could supply up to 8 hours of power per cartridge on current and future ThinkPad models.

Unlike other prototypes that require a modified design to outfit fuel cell batteries, SANYO’s system was designed to be compatible with most current ThinkPad models without the need to alter the notebook design — demonstrating the resiliency of the ThinkPad notebook’s internal power architecture. The fuel cell system also includes an auxiliary bay IBM’s Ultrabay Slim Battery to supplement peak power consumption for business applications. In addition, the auxiliary bay could be used to make the power supply even more versatile by charging an Ultrabay Slim Battery.

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The fuel cell system could enable ThinkPad notebooks to run intensive business applications such as multimedia, graphics and computation programs, while performing tasks such as security updates and scheduled maintenance without draining PC battery power. These capabilities could provide added stability for increased productivity, access to information and customer service.

IBM Thinkpad with Sanyo Fuel Cell Battery

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