Hire more child labor so we can get cool batteries for our smartphones too
The powers that be have absolutely no intention of building any more real electricity generation. They want to limit every freedom possible, especially the freedom of inexpensive, reliable, abundant energy.
During the very cold winter, Canada’s solar and wind power generation fell to......ZERO.
The dirty BIG secret is that the wind power mechanism must not be allowed to freeze, so something has to keep it warm, even if it is not turning. That ‘something’ is oil and natural gas.
I would love to peak into the future, during the next great cold cycle. I imagine The Comedy Channel running videos of AlGore and his minions stating “the Earth has a fever”
NOT really Solid State:
IM calls the battery pack in question “Lightyear”. It’s not a strictly zero-fluid solid-state chemistry, instead utilizing a semi-solid layout that includes solid material suspended in a liquid electrolyte.
The 900-V Lightyear pack has a capacity of 130 kWh for a total range estimated to exceed 1,000 km (620 miles). Just as impressively, it’s said to be capable of adding 400 km (249 miles) of range in just 12 minutes when wired up to a properly quick ultra-fast charger.
No details on what the chemicals are in the pack, or HOW big of an ultra-fast charger it takes to reach that 12 minute number. It’s all in the details with EVs.
Bipolar solid state cells will have twice the energy density of NMC cells and nearly three times that of LiFePO4. Bipolar as in think Big Mac vs quarter pounder where you have the meat on both sides of bread. Bipolar solid state cells will have twice the meat(active materials) vs bread(current collectors). Solid state in its real form is fireproof ceramics don’t burn and lithium bonded in a ceramic crystalline structure also cannot burn.
130kWh would take a Model 3 sized car 722 miles in the city averaging 180 watt hours per mile I have seen as low as 130 over ten miles of city grid lock traffic. Solid state cells can also take 5C charging rates or more. At 5C a 130kWh pack is 650kw the Tesla V4 standard has 1000v and 900amp ratings. This is a 900V pack so 900V*900amp is 810kw from 20% to 80% is 78kWh at 810kw 5.77 minutes to put that in across the fast charge 20/80 window. 78kWh takes a Model 3 @180whmi 433 miles. This is a 5 min charge and 400+ miles of range. Virtually no one drives more than 400 miles in one sitting at a legal hwy avg speed of 65mpg that’s 6 1/2 hours in the seat straight. At a urban average speed of 35mph that’s 12+ hours in the seat. no under driver is going to not stop for at least 5 minutes in a 12 hour shift NO ONE.
Solid state is the future and it will end the ICE for all urban use especially in the Asian megacities India megacities as well. 700+ mile range is not needed for any urbanites drive pattern it’s just not but having the larger pack allows crazy fast charge rates for Uber type use.
Tesla will stop selling cars to the general population once they get approved for their robotaxi fleet. One automated taxi in the city can generate $100,000+ in yearly revenue there is no way they’ll sell a Model 3 for $37,000 when they can use them as robotaxis with a 5+ year lifespan. Solid state will have 3000+ cycle lifetimes at 700 miles per charge even at 150,000 miles per year in taxi use a typical yearly mile count for a taxi. Even a 1000 cycle life would give a 5 year taxi lifetime.
Guys, i have been saying this all along. When we get to 600, 700, 800 miles on a charge that takes 15 - 20 minutes, in a reasonably priced car, the game is over for internal combustion.
The electric car is just getting started.
Not saying it’s good/bad, just facts. They are stubborn things.
This is very interesting material.
Thanks for taking the time to post it.
Four wheel steering is a blast in the snow. /s
I had a Honda with it at one time and nearly died.
We better hope the wind keeps blowing when the sun isn’t shining.
EC
crab-walking capability
What is “crab-walking capability”?
Even though I am retired, I signed up for a chemistry course ( for STEM majors) this year. This week we are studying the electro-chemical properties of batteries. Very interesting!
I can’t imagine what is involved in replacing one or more of those battery units.
The $450k price tag for this EV is a bit daunting. I am certain that EV battery technology will get better over time, but I do not foresee EV technology being able to fully replace ICE for some time. Farm machinery would be very hard to move from diesel to battery simply because of the lack of charging capability in the middle of a field. Electric powered fire trucks or ambulances …I wouldn’t bet my life on either. Rural areas and areas with brutal cold winters are also not very suitable for EVs.
To make a battery car better than gasoline powered is more than range and recharge time. Those are important, but not the only issues. Some other factors.
1. Weight - wears out tires and brakes fast, those things have costs
2. Battery life - as batteries age, they lose capacity, and my experience is as they age their capacity becomes unpredictable. I have a lithium tool battery that shows 100% charge but runs out in 50% of the normal time because it is old. Batteries how both a limited number of re-charges and an age limit. Gasoline powered to not see reductions in range over time.
3. Replacement cost - the cost of replacing a battery pack. Gasoline engines go over 300k miles and replacing one can be in the $5k range or so. What is the cost of replacing a battery pack.
4. Compatibility. As technology moves on, will replacement battery packs even be available for older battery cars. Engines have no problem with this.
5. Insurance - when battery cars have wrecks the battery can be compromised which many times totals the car - basically, if you would bend a car frame in a wreck the similar wreck breaks the battery. Higher insurance costs for sure, but total a car and getting an insurance payout does not keep a person whole financially. Frames can be fixed though.
6. Infrastructure. Quick recharge times mean several things. Usually it means the battery is wearing faster during re-charging reducing its life and capacity. The amount of power required to feed the charger in a short time frame is large. Power stations and transmission lines are not designed for this and are not improving. Very long lead times to make this happen, if at all.
7. Repairs. Both gasoline and battery cars will suffer from the added technology being put in them. In 10 years, when a computer board goes out, replacements are not manufactured because chip and board designs have moved on. No one can create replacement boards for older cars. There is a limited number of replacement electronic parts that are created during the original manufacturing run and when those are gone, there are no more replacement computer parts.
What are the weight/volume to power ratio comparisons?
What are the weight/volume to power ratio comparisons?