US scientists: Breakthrough for long-range electric vehicle batteries (2024)

FAQs

Has there been a breakthrough in battery technology? ›

A boost in battery chemistry could enable electric vehicles to run longer and charge faster, even in extremely cold temperatures. That improvement may prevent long lines at charging stations during the winter.

EDF's analysis determined that more than 1,000 gigawatt hours per year of U.S. EV battery production capacity has already been announced to come online by 2028.

Enter the solid-state batteries, often heralded as the next big thing in EV technology. These batteries promise higher energy density, faster charging times, and improved safety due to their lack of liquid electrolytes that can pose a fire risk.

Sodium-ion batteries simply replace lithium ions as charge carriers with sodium. This single change has a big impact on battery production as sodium is far more abundant than lithium. In fact, you can use salt from the oceans to extract sodium just about anywhere in the world.

China Aviation Lithium Battery Co.

(CALB) is a prominent Chinese company specialising in the research, development, and manufacturing of advanced lithium-ion batteries. Founded in 2007, CALB has rapidly grown into a leading player in the global lithium battery industry.

China currently dominates the global EV and EV supply-chain market, but global governments are vying to secure their own supply chains. There are a few reasons why the world can't make batteries for electric cars without China: China has a near monopoly on the production of lithium-ion battery cells.

Which countries are leading the way in battery production? Without a doubt, you know the country that is leading the way. It has more than half of the world's EV production and more than half of the world's EV battery production. That's China, of course.

The IEA estimates that two-thirds of global battery cell production is in China, while the United States accounts for approximately just 10%. China also leads the global processing of minerals needed for EV batteries, such as graphite and rare earths.

Two years ago, Tesla patented Dahn's million-mile battery and CEO Elon Musk said he would deploy the long-life battery in 2020.

What is the surprising new source of lithium? ›

Geologists have discovered a massive lithium deposit within the McDermitt Caldera along the Nevada-Oregon border, potentially revolutionizing the global lithium supply chain. The deposit is estimated to contain 20 to 40 million metric tonnes of lithium, with unprecedented quality that surpasses any previous find.

In 2021, Tesla said that for its standard-range vehicles it would be changing to lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cathodes, which are cobalt- and nickel-free.

Lithium-sulfur batteries are believed to be more efficient than lithium-ion batteries, which could increase the range and storage capacity of electric vehicles. Additionally, sulfur is affordable and abundant, which could mean lower cost.

Today, among all the state-of-the-art storage technologies, li-ion battery technology allows the highest level of energy density. Performances such as fast charge or temperature operating window (-50°C up to 125°C) can be fine-tuned by the large choice of cell design and chemistries.

The need for batteries with increasingly better energy densities, quicker charging periods, and improved safety is only increasing as the twenty-first century goes on. Several active research projects and cutting-edge technologies hold the potential to completely transform the battery industry.

MIT researchers have now designed a battery material that could offer a more sustainable way to power electric cars. The new lithium-ion battery includes a cathode based on organic materials, instead of cobalt or nickel (another metal often used in lithium-ion batteries).