Free Republic

Suffice to say, all is not well for the Electric Vehicle (EV) industry these days. Despite ample subsidies from the federal government, EV sales are slumping. ... there have been numerous reports of people being trapped inside EVs due to dead batteries. In some of these cases, toddlers have been locked inside of sweltering cars. In one example, on June 20, Renee Sanchez was eager to take her two-year-old granddaughter to the Phoenix Zoo. Early that morning, Sanchez strapped the toddler into the backseat of her Model Y Tesla. After closing the rear door, Sanchez attempted to open the front...

Scientists have uncovered a new source of hazardous "forever chemical" pollution: the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries found in most electric vehicles. Some lithium-ion battery technologies use a class of PFAS chemicals, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, that helps make batteries less flammable and conduct electricity. Scientists found high levels of these PFAS in air, water, snow, soil, and sediment samples near plants that make those chemicals in the US, Belgium, and France, according to a peer-reviewed study in the journal Nature Communications. PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" because they build up quickly in the environment, people, and animals and don't break...

Chinese battery giant CATL says it's successfully flown a 4-ton plane using its ultra-high density "condensed batteries." It now expects to have an 8-ton electric aircraft with a range of 2,000 to 3,000 km (1,240-1,865 miles) operating in 3-4 years. Contemporary Amperex Technology Company Limited (CATL) is the current world leader in manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles, owning 37% of the entire market share. Nearly every major car manufacturer, from Ford to Tesla, is using CATL batteries. In April of 2023, CATL announced its "condensed battery" packing over twice the energy density of nearly anything else on the market at...

Charge up to 80% in just 9.8 minutes! Gotion High-tech showcases its latest battery technology innovations Gotion High-Tech, is a leading global player in battery technology and energy solutions, specialising in the research, development, and production of lithium-ion batteries and energy storage systems. The company, which Volkswagen holds a significant stake in, focuses on innovation and sustainability, Gotion aims to advance the EV industry and renewable energy sectors through cutting-edge battery solutions that not only enhance performance but also reduce carbon footprint, contributing to a greener future. Gotion hosted its 13th Technology Conference on 17 May, during which it unveiled...

Government scientists have shown that they can filter the precious metal from the state's shale gas wastewater: pulling tons of lithium per day, with little left behind. They concluded that Pennsylvania alone could produce nearly half of the total US demand for lithium — starting in the first year — supplying this key compound that's needed to power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles to solar panels. A project on this scale could make Pennsylvania a rust-belt Saudi Arabia, ending US dependence on lithium from China, which now controls 90 percent of the market. People compare it to the Gold...

States like California, New York, and Massachusetts have passed climate policies specifically intended to jump-start this battery industry. But this year, for the first time ever, the fastest-growing energy storage market appears to be Texas, a free-market-affirming red state that officially cares little about solving climate change. Nonetheless, the state’s low-regulation, business-friendly landscape has created ideal conditions to build batteries quickly and at scale, just like it previously incubated thriving wind and solar markets.

A new type of hybrid sodium-ion battery that offers both high capacity and rapid-charging capabilities could power mobile devices, electric vehicles and space tech. Researchers have developed a new coin-type sodium-based battery that can charge rapidly “in seconds” and could potentially power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles (EVs) in the future. By combining anode materials used in conventional batteries with cathodes from supercapacitors — batteries that can store and deliver energy at very high rates –– the scientists created a new type of sodium-ion battery that offers both high capacity and rapid-charging capabilities. They were looking for a way...

Money Mail can today reveal a timebomb looming in the second-hand market for electric vehicles (EVs). Our investigation found that many EVs could become almost impossible to resell because of their limited battery life. Experts said that the average EV battery guarantee lasts just eight years. After this time, the battery may lose power more quickly and so reduce mileage between charges. Many EVs will lose up to 12 per cent of their charge capacity by six years. Some may lose even more. Yet the cost of replacing an EV battery is astonishingly high, our research found. In some cases,...

In my self-designated role critiquing various schemes for total transformation of the world energy system, I get to review large amounts of poor, shoddy, and incompetent work. When people get into advocating for this “energy transition,” the stars regularly align to bring forth the most extreme levels of ineptitude. Start with the fact that the “smartest” people are filled with arrogance and hubris, but are not actually very smart. Add that many innumerate Politics and English majors have flooded into a field that cries out for engineering calculations. Add too that groupthink and orthodoxy enforcement prevent anyone from pointing out...

Space X CEO Elon Musk and Argentinian President Javier Milei have met in Texas and spoke about working together to promote free markets and potential lithium projects. President Javier Milei’s chief spokesperson said that during their visit to Tesla’s Austin headquarters, the two talked about a range of issues, including the need to boost declining birth rates globally and the pursuit of technological advancement while upholding “liberty.” Musk has previously expressed his admiration for Milei’s unabashed support of private enterprise as well as his distaste for what he considers to be socialist excesses.

The future for electric vehicles is looking bleaker than ever.According to a Gallup poll published this week, the number of Americans who own an electric vehicle has indeed increased in the last year. However, the number of those interested in buying one is on the decline despite efforts from the federal government to transition the entire automobile market within the next decade. Seven percent of Americans, up from 4% a year ago, report that they own an electric vehicle. That increase is matched by an equal decline in the percentage saying they are seriously considering buying one, from 12% to...

Lithium-ion batteries used in E-bikes and other electronic mobility devices are now a leading cause of fires in New York City following their popularity surged during the pandemic’s delivery boom, FDNY officials say. FDNY Chief Fire Marshal Daniel Flynn told The Post that fires related to lithium-ion batteries have gone up nearly nine-fold since the pandemic, with more blazes related to the batteries happening in the last two months than in all of 2019. “It’s the prevalence of these e-devices on our streets, there’s way more of them now than ever before,” Flynn said.

Key Points: Tesla stock is down 21% in 2024 so far, and it's down 52% from its all-time high. Growth in Tesla's electric vehicle deliveries is decelerating. Tesla has a plan to reignite growth, but there are no short-term fixes for this problem. The electric vehicle giant isn't growing like it used to. Tesla (TSLA 1.81%) was the world's largest electric vehicle (EV) company by sales until the fourth quarter of last year when China-based BYD outsold it for the first time. Tesla once had the EV market almost entirely to itself, but now, it's grappling with a tsunami of...

Stanford University researchers found that the best way to extend the life of a lithium-metal EV battery is to drain it and let it rest for a few hours. The study, “Resting restores performance of discharged lithium-metal batteries,” published on February 7 in the journal Nature, found that this straightforward approach restored battery capacity and boosted overall performance. Study co-lead author Wenbo Zhang, a Stanford PhD student in materials science and engineering, said: We were looking for the easiest, cheapest, and fastest way to improve lithium metal cycling life. We discovered that by resting the battery in the discharged state,...

Electric vehicle makers Rivian and Lucid both suffered plummeting share prices after disappointing fourth-quarter earnings reports revealed stagnant production numbers. CNBC reports that shares of electric vehicle makers Rivian and Lucid plunged on Thursday following disappointing fourth-quarter earnings reports released after markets closed on Wednesday. Rivian stock sank around 25 percent, while Lucid shares dropped nearly 17 percent. Both companies cited stagnant production numbers and “existing economic and geopolitical uncertainties” as factors impacting results. Rivian forecasts production of 57,000 vehicles in 2024 — about the same as the 57,232 vehicles manufactured in 2023. Meanwhile, Lucid predicts production of 9,000 vehicles...

Rivian (RIVN) stock tanked after the bell on Wednesday after the electric adventure vehicle maker reported mixed fourth quarter results and a production and profit forecast that missed Wall Street expectations. Rivian said it sees vehicle production for 2024 hitting 57,000 units, well below the 80,000 units expected. In terms of full-year profitability, Rivian said it sees an adjusted EBITDA loss of $2.70 billion vs. $2.59 billion (est.), with capital expenditure outlays hitting $1.75 billion vs. $2.37 billion (est.). Rivian said it would cut 10% of salaried staff, citing economic uncertainty. Rivian stock fell over 15% in after-hours trading. For...

A massive fire broke out at a French industrial site used for recycling hybrid and electric car batteries on Saturday, sending thick clouds of smoke into the air. The town of Viviez in the department of Aveyron in Southern France was shrouded by black clouds of smoke after a fire broke out at a warehouse used to hold hybrid and electric car lithium batteries. Overall, the site held an estimated 900 tonnes of lithium batteries, however, officials claimed that the cause of the fire has still not been determined, Le Figaro reports.

Electric vehicles that typically weigh more than gasoline-powered cars can easily crash through steel highway guardrails that are not designed to withstand the extra force, raising concerns about the nation’s roadside safety system, according to crash test data released Wednesday by the University of Nebraska. Electric vehicles typically weigh 20% to 50% more than gas-powered vehicles thanks to batteries that can weigh almost as much as a small gas-powered car. And they have lower centers of gravity. Because of these differences, guardrails can do little to stop electric vehicles from pushing through barriers typically made of steel. Last fall, engineers...

VIDEO AT LINK.............. Health Canada is warning that a battery sold on Amazon for Dyson vacuum cleaners could pose a risk of fire and burns after a report of “significant” property damage. The FirstPower 4000mAh V6 battery replacement for Dyson V6 Series vacuums were sold online between January and April 2022. According to the product manufacturer, the battery is also compatible with the following Dyson vacuum cleaners: SV04, DC58, DC59, DC61, DC62, DC72, DC74, Absolute Animal Motorhead Slim, SV03, SV04, SV05, SV06, SV07, SV09. PICTURED: FirstPower replacement battery for Dyson Vacuums sold to 1,731 Canadians on Amazon. Health Canada The...

A video posted by the FDNY shockingly reveals how a charging lithium-ion battery sparked a raging fire in a Queens e-bike shop this month. The video, from King Electronic Hub in Richmond Hill, shows a charging lithium-ion battery surrounded by scooters and boxes shooting up a thick cloud of gray smoke, followed by sparks ... “It only took two and a half minutes for this exploding lithium-ion battery to fully engulf this e-bike shop in fire,” the text accompanying the video warns. “When we tell you illegal lithium-ion batteries can be dangerous, WE MEAN IT,” .. The two-alarm fire on...