Solid state EV batteries nearer

BYD (allegedly) has just filed some new patents. BYD is working towards a future electric car that is designed for the mass markets (i.e. low cost, fast charging and decent range). I am sure other car manufacturers are racing to achieve this.

Solid state batteries in EVs?

There has been an announcement made that Samsung is in pre-production with a solid state battery. 

At first these could be expensive. As production ramps up prices will drop dramatically. Range could be huge and charge times fast.

Sodium Ion Rechargeable Batteries

 The EV market might be on the verge of a revolution. 

Sodium ion rechargeable batteries?

Perhaps one of the upcoming rechargeable battery technologies will be based on sodium (i.e. salt). 

It is my view that we are on the cusp of a revolution. 

Although it has a lower energy density than the best lithium ion batteries, sodium is very plentiful and might make an ideal material for mass storage batteries.

A really simple way of increasing the range of EVs?

 An Australian company may have the answer to dramatically increasing the range of electric vehicles.

EV battery technology

It would appear that lithium-ion batteries look optimal for range and weight. The disadvantage is that lithium is a rare earth material with limited supplies.

It looks like sodium-ion batteries might be answer. Sodium is widely available. CATL, the worlds's largest battery manufacturer,  has a huge order for sodium-ion batteries.

EV batteries

CATL is the biggest battery manufacturer in the world and has announced some remarkable advances. In my view we are on the cusp of a transport revolution leaving fossil fuel vehicles left in the Stone Age. 

Wake up USA, or you will be left far, far behind.

Solid state batteries?

A lot of excitement  (and incredulity!) was created at CES26 when a small start-up company announced it had created a sold-state battery with amazing claims. 

Many just don't believe it, when huge companies with massive manpower and investment have failed. They also claim the battery does not use lithium!

Since then, they have been using an independent lab to carry out a series of "drip feed" tests. The only real test will be a tear-down of an actual production battery. If solid state batteries with enormous ranges come to market soon, this could be truly trasformational.

If true, many would be interested in the IP. Tests so far suggest it is indeed a solid state battery. I think "the jury is still out" although we should soon know.

Batteries for the future

We all know that electric cars (maybe hydrogen) are probably the future. 

However, they are, on the whole, expensive with a limited range. They also tend to need batteries with materials that are not that common. 

What is needed is a real breakthrough allowing a far greater range and a battery technology that uses easily obtainable materials. 

It would be good to have lower weight. I am sure that across the world a lot of research is going on to make these breakthroughs as whoever gets there first would have a huge commercial advantage. 

One avenue is a solid state battery. Another is a technology that does not need lithium such as sodium. It would be good to be able to top up the charge quickly too although if the range was considerable, many could charge at home quite infrequently.

There is a lot of hype around and I am not sure what the answer is. I suspect this breakthrough is not many years away.

Rip off?

One big UK dealer is asking for £274.99 for an ECO Worthy 100Ah LiFePO4 battery with charger. The same battery from Amazon (without charger) can be bought for £169.99.

Hmm.

Eco-Worthy batteries

MLS is doing a promotion  of /P gear including the IC705, no doubt expecting many IC705s to be traded for the new Yaesu field portable transceiver next year.

One of their items is the Eco-Worthy 30A, 12V lithium battery pack for use with the IC705 out portable. I was about to blog how expensive this was. Then I checked on Amazon and the battery was £99.99 to which you have to add the charger. Overall, not a bad price from MLS with the charger if you really need a 30A battery. However, there are lower capacity batteries and chargers available from other suppliers for far less.

UPDATE 0827z Sunday:  Steve G1KQH says the same capacity battery may be bought elsewhere for far less. Shop around?

Volta's battery

 

This dates from the very early 1800s. It may be the first battery ever made.

Electric cars and batteries - NOT amateur radio

We are still awaiting a breakthrough in batteries for electric cars. Lithium, used in most (all?) electric vehicle batteries is a rare earth material in short supply. These batteries are expensive and big. There is also the issue of charging.

A breakthrough may be on the way promising much better ranges, less cost, and fast charging times. Until this happens, I cannot see a tipping point when there is a really big take-up of electric cars.  Imagine - far less expensive electric cars, very infrequent charging, long ranges. It will happen.

See https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/electric/solid-state-battery-ev/ .

Electric car batteries - NOT amateur radio

Steve G1KQH sent me this cartoon yesterday. 

There is a very serious point though. Until EV batteries are made from far more common materials and have a far greater range, I cannot see EVs being a disruptive technology like flat screen TVs or digital cameras. 

This will come with investment and drive. At the current rate, the Chinese will be the first and we will be way behind.  We need this if our children and grandchildren are to have a planet.

In my view, I suspect this will come before 2035 and we will all be amazed that we used fossil fuels at one time. 

Battery power suggestions

Thank you for your suggestions This sounds like something I should try. Now  I need recommendations for battery packs and chargers! I expect eBay will be the best source at the right place.

Wireless charging from roads - NOT amateur radio

To me, this has to be the answer to a carbonless future with regard to road vehicles. Southgate News reports on trials in France and Israel where the road has embedded wireless charging for road vehicles. This means smaller, lighter, batteries in the vehicles, a longer battery life, and greater range.

See http://southgatearc.org/news/2017/june/roads-with-built-in-wireless-charging.htm#.WT5ai7pFzmQ

Huge leap in rechargeable battery technology?

The ExtremeTech website has reported a possible major major (i.e. game changing) breakthrough in Li-Ion battery technology with the headlines:  New lithium-ion battery design that’s 2,000 times more powerful, recharges 1,000 times faster

http://www.extremetech.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/ncomms2747-f3.jpg

If this turns out to be technology that can indeed be commercialised, then just imagine the possibilities: (1) electric cars with far lighter batteries, or electric car batteries with much greater range, (2) mobile phones with tiny batteries that can be charged in a minute or so, (3) portable HF transceivers that are half the weight of the FT817 but with batteries that last for days between charges.

It all sounds just a bit too good to be true, but I am sure this was no April Fool's joke.