Battery Technology

So now that I have motors, I will need to purchase batteries to power this thing. I am considering three different battery technologies for this system.

A123 Lithium

These are the batteries used by Daniel Fukuba in his scooter based on Trevor Blackwell's design. Dewalt now sells 36v batteries using this technology, and a matching charger. If I can use these batteries and charger while bypassing the internal current limiting, I should have a fairly simple battery setup with ample current capacity. For the final project I would plan on 3 of these packs in parallel.

Dissecting 36v Dewalt pack
Short video of Daniel Fukuba's


Sealed Lead Acid (SLA)

Although these batteries are large and heavy, they allow for large amounts of current draw and are the least expensive. They are also the cheapest to charge and maintain.

Example Battery

NiMH packs

This system for batteries would be easier to charge than A123 cells and provide ample current. This is also the type of batteries that Trevor Blackwell recommends.

Trevor Blackwell's page

These are the basic options that I am considering, I would love to hear any opinions on this!