Industry Week (2019-08-12)
"Range anxiety” continues to be the biggest barrier to the largescale adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs).
However, ongoing and significant improvements in battery technology will pave the way for an installed EV base of 100 million by 2028, according to global tech market advisory firm, ABI Research
To alleviate “range anxiety”, the Electric Vehicle Battery (EVB) will need to safer, cheaper, faster charging, and have a high-energy density for greater range. Continued advancements in cell technology will ease anxiety and allow EVs to gain traction substantially.
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are the current standard for EVs, yet they have short life cycles and have a history of overheating.
“Recent research around lithium-based chemistries has revolved around using different lithium-based batteries to provide better fire resistance, quicker charges, and longer life spans,” says James Hodgson, Principal Analyst at ABI Research. However, while the Li-ion battery will continue to progress, it will be solid-state and lithium-silicon technologies that will be the real EVB game changer.
Numerous investments from OEMs such as Volkswagen, BMW Group, and Daimler, have been made in solid-state technology and lithium-silicon technology companies, including QuantumScape, Solid Power, Enevate and Sila Nanotechnologies. These investments highlight how important these technologies will be for the future of EVBs.
“The only way to significantly advance energy density is to add silicon to the Li-ion battery. The current approach of adding silicon in small incremental percentages (<10%) will enable energy density increases to 300 Wh/kg over the next 3-5 years,” Hodgson explains.
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