Major breakthrough could extend EV range to over 3,000 miles on a single charge

Science, research materials improvements for battery technologies are often in science news. However they tend to disappear without one ever reading about followup applied developments. But if the 10x figure is valid, that would be significant. Expect it is another news oversimplification limited due to other complex issues yet to be mentioned.
 
Like I really know the intricacies of EV car batteries, maybe this will work. I think we will have better and better batteries in the future. Just look at the difference between a Model T Ford and any 2024 car.
I understand that some question the range of an electric car. They forget you used to buy gas in a quart jar. How far were you going on a quart of gas?
 
David777 said:
Science, research materials improvements for battery technologies are often in science news. However they tend to disappear without one ever reading about followup applied developments. But if the 10x figure is valid, that would be significant. Expect it is another news oversimplification limited due to other complex issues yet to be mentioned.
Click to expand...
Yes, I remember when Lithium Ion batteries came out, wow, what a difference in power tools. It was remarkable what a difference in power and duration. However, they can be tricky and dangerous if not charged properly. But with few exceptions, they have managed to overcome the problems, and I can't imagine living without them now. We will see how this shakes out.
 
This is old news dating back more than 4 years to when Tesla went this way. Combining silicon with carbon for the anodes in Lithium-based cells is pretty routine today.

The "miracles" touted in the popular press don't exist and may never happen. So far they've remained stubbornly theoretical.

The momentum behind silicon-anode batteries is in large part driven by their ability to store more energy than lithium-ion batteries of equivalent mass and volume. However, their increased energy density could also pose new, different, and potentially more dangerous risks in the event of a failure.
Click to expand...
 
It's hard to compare a tool battery pack containing a handful of 18650 cells with a densely packed, heavy as hell EV battery pack made of larger cells. The hazards are amplified by scale because of self-overheating issues and thermal runaway.
 
It can take as little as 30 minutes or less to charge a typical electric car (60kWh battery) at a 150kW rapid charging station from empty-to-full. If you use a 7kW public charger, you can expect to achieve the same in under 8 hours and around 3 hours using a 22 kW chargepoint.
Click to expand...
10x the battery means 10x the charge times.
 
RuralKanuck said:
10 times out equals 10 times in its gota come from somewhere and its a 10 times bigger bomb under the hood, nothings for free. Just saying!
Click to expand...
True. I guess they have known for some time that using a silicon anode in the battery would greatly extend the range, but it expanded when in use, thus making it unstable. Apparently, they formulated a special coating for the silicon anode, and it prevents the expansion. However, it's still early. Time will tell if it pans out.
 
3,000 miles on a single charge will solve all the (most of) the problems associated with EVs. Naturally, the time it takes to charge the battery is a factor, but considering the average internal combustion engine automobile can go 600-700 miles on a single tank of gas, 3,000 miles on a single charge would be a major breakthrough! We'll be seeing more electric planes with that kind of technology.

Of course, there's the I'll believe it when I see it factor. We've seen this film before and it hasn't panned out thus far.

That said, EVs are great! We used Ubers several times while on our vacation and every one was an EV.

I didn't ask any of the drivers how they liked them and how often they had to recharge. Or if they made enough as an Uber driver to pay make the loan payments on the EVs, but I assume they did.
 
What puzzles me is that EVs seem most well-adapted as nice-weather, smooth road, urban transportation - exactly the place where mass transit does an even better job - especially with extremes of heat, cold, and precipitation.

It feels like a proper solution would be to phase out private automobiles in metro areas and flesh out mass transit instead using a fraction of the funds being spent to promote and support EV-friendly infrastructure (perfectly paved and maintained roadways, charging stations, friendly parking and waiting/shopping areas, deeper gutters and additional storm-runoff processing to catch the exotic-formula rubber shed by the tires of such heavy vehicles, etc.).
 
Any time you see the words might or could, take the claims with a grain of salt. Sometimes things only work under certain conditions that don't translate to real life situations. If it really is a breakthrough, we will hear much more about it.

Having said that, I'm sure we will see great improvements in batteries. Companies are spending vast amounts of money in research because it's the goose that will lay the golden egg.
 
Aunt Bea said:
I read an article years ago that indicated a vehicles range did not need to be significantly greater than the average person’s bladder.
😉🤭😂
Click to expand...
Funny.

The main problem with range is that driving a real car you can buy more gas when the tank gets low. With a milkfloat (i.e. EV) when the battery gets low charging is often beyond your reach.
Milk_float_-_Liverpool_(modified_background).jpg


I suppose you might carry a 50 foot extension cord and knock on doors as you push it down a road.
 
dilettante said:
Funny.

The main problem with range is that driving a real car you can buy more gas when the tank gets low. With a milkfloat (i.e. EV) when the battery gets low charging is often beyond your reach.
View attachment 374101


I suppose you might carry a 50 foot extension cord and knock on doors as you push it down a road.
Click to expand...
I agree, that’s a great point.

IMO the government needs to lead the charge by switching to EV technology and let the private sector catch up once the benefits are known and accepted.

Switching mail delivery, military, sanitation, fire, police, buses, etc… would be huge and allow for much research and development before the average person is expected to make the switch.

I’m also concerned that we may just be trading one form of pollution for another.

I’m of the same mindset as Don, I won’t be driving much longer and will probably stop altogether if somehow forced to make the switch.
 
Last edited:
I think it's inevitable that eventually gas engines will be phased out. For one thing, if they ever develop cheaper, safer, and higher capacity batteries, the cars themselves will be cheaper to build. There's no transmission, no smog controls, and electric motors are much simpler than internal combustion engines. And, as supplies of petroleum get more scarce, gasoline will get even more expensive.
 
A big problem remains charging. The transmission losses and carrying capacity limits of power lines is a problem and only gets worse with distance.

It's so bad that a lot of Tesla Supercharger stations and the like have big diesel motor-generator sets on site belching smoke to make them work.

While it may be inevitable, more rational alternatives like hybrid gas-electric will probably prevail for a long time yet. Not "plug-in" hybrids, straight hybrids. Far smaller and safer batteries that are lighter and don't have to ride slung underneath where road hazards can do expensive damage fairly trivially. No charging either, just add gasoline.

But none of this is really viable until we get people out of their massive jacked up vehicles. Get rid of the pickups, vans, and SUVs as private vehicles. EVs just make this problem worse with the massive weight of their batteries.

Many HEVs made now don't really have a transmission in them at all. Just a pair of motor generators and a couple of clutchpacks.
 
dilettante said:
A big problem remains charging. The transmission losses and carrying capacity limits of power lines is a problem and only gets worse with distance.

It's so bad that a lot of Tesla Supercharger stations and the like have big diesel motor-generator sets on site belching smoke to make them work.

While it may be inevitable, more rational alternatives like hybrid gas-electric will probably prevail for a long time yet. Not "plug-in" hybrids, straight hybrids. Far smaller and safer batteries that are lighter and don't have to ride slung underneath where road hazards can do expensive damage fairly trivially. No charging either, just add gasoline.

But none of this is really viable until we get people out of their massive jacked up vehicles. Get rid of the pickups, vans, and SUVs as private vehicles. EVs just make this problem worse with the massive weight of their batteries.

Many HEVs made now don't really have a transmission in them at all. Just a pair of motor generators and a couple of clutchpacks.
Click to expand...
Care to share where you got that information?
 
Grampa Don said:
I think it's inevitable that eventually gas engines will be phased out. For one thing, if they ever develop cheaper, safer, and higher capacity batteries, the cars themselves will be cheaper to build. There's no transmission, no smog controls, and electric motors are much simpler than internal combustion engines. And, as supplies of petroleum get more scarce, gasoline will get even more expensive.
Click to expand...
An internal combustion engine (ICE) powertrain contains hundreds of moving parts while an EV powertrain only has 20-30 moving parts. EVs are going to put a lot of mechanics out of work!
 
I don’t understand why EVs can’t be equipped with a generator to charge the vehicle when it’s moving.

It might not be sufficient to totally charge the vehicle but it seems like it would be significant.

Maybe eventually it could become a perpetual motion machine.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top