Going full nerd on battery tech

[audiomikej]

https://arstechnica.com/science/202...ing-under-your-nose/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

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[Roady]

This is a good read for those interested. There is a huge amount of R&D happening in this sector now and I expect there will be some huge leaps in battery tech for the future. Lithium-ion was a huge leap over lead-acid but I think we are still in the very early stages.

 

[Pedaldude]

I can certainly see improvements in battery tech but I don't expect any huge gains in energy density. Unless a radical discovery is made, other improvements will need to be made to compensate for battery deficiencies. The only reason why energy density has improved so much in the graph illustrated in the article is because it started out so terrible.

In nearly a century, despite improving in other aspects, the brake specific horsepower of a flat head ford isn't that different from a 5.0 Coyote. Which is why fuel economy really hasn't gotten as good as one would expect with so much time and money invested.

I've been reading up on EV battery tech in the last few days after giving up on the hopes of them being practical twenty years ago, it's fair to say that technology has caught up and even if improvements flatten out, as long as costs can come down, eventually EVs will be a no brainer for people who just need to get from point A to point B and back again. There's airplanes flying with electric engines and batteries and Rolls Royce is talking about developing battery electric technology for small commercial planes. It's fair to say that the technology is here, it just needs to become more accessible at this point.

 

[ChasingCoral]

https://arstechnica.com/science/202...ing-under-your-nose/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

That's a really informative article.

 

[ChasingCoral]

I can certainly see improvements in battery tech but I don't expect any huge gains in energy density. Unless a radical discovery is made, other improvements will need to be made to compensate for battery deficiencies. The only reason why energy density has improved so much in the graph illustrated in the article is because it started out so terrible.

In nearly a century, despite improving in other aspects, the brake specific horsepower of a flat head ford isn't that different from a 5.0 Coyote. Which is why fuel economy really hasn't gotten as good as one would expect with so much time and money invested.

I've been reading up on EV battery tech in the last few days after giving up on the hopes of them being practical twenty years ago, it's fair to say that technology has caught up and even if improvements flatten out, as long as costs can come down, eventually EVs will be a no brainer for people who just need to get from point A to point B and back again. There's airplanes flying with electric engines and batteries and Rolls Royce is talking about developing battery electric technology for small commercial planes. It's fair to say that the technology is here, it just needs to become more accessible at this point.

Agreed. Remember that when it comes to batteries, it's a long road from R&D to mass production.

 

[EVSport7]

I still think that solid state batteries will be the "holy grail" for EV batteries in my lifetime.

-2-3x energy density
-charging 10-80% in 10-15 minutes

Could be a real game changer. Unfortunately, it will take time. 3-5 years to get them ready for pack level integration and even longer to get the price down with what Li-Ion batteries are at currently. Still, will be very nice once we get there

 

[fmdog44]

I just saw a documentary on electric planes. Pretty carzy.

 

[Theo1000]

Also explains why we are trying to increase production. Each time we double the production capacity of Li-Ion, the costs drop 15% per the swanson curve. This one of those handful of technologies that gets cheaper the more we do. The lower price has benefits for the people, our nation and the environment. I'm not into messianic thinking but it truly is an opportunity that comes once in a generation.

 

[Pedaldude]

One of the the things that I find it hard to reconcile is the disposition and lifetime of Li-ion battery packs. Trying to find unbiased information is a challenge and multiple sources yield multiple answers. Many sources will state that the battery packs will outlive the useful life of the car and be pressed into service as grid attached storage afterward but others say almost the exact opposite and in real life; you are starting to see very expensive hybrids mechanically totaled by insurance companies and sent to the junkyard, in addition to lawsuits over EVs with ranges that become useless due to battery degradation. I also have seen that when battery packs do eventually degrade, it's often due to a few bad cells and that they can be rebuilt and function as designed for a few more years. So serviceability plays a key part in the useful life of a battery.

 

[Elgatoprerunner]

I wouldn't buy ANY Ford EV until they warranty against battery degradation like Tesla does. Fords batteries degrade at a extremely accelerated rate. I'm at 50% degradation after 4 years and 80K miles.

Funny thing is I posted a article on THIS forum trying to get this problem out there to all of you. This forum MUTED my post. No explanation. I have sent multiple emails to them asking why. The only thing I can think of is this forum is owned by Ford. Nice freedom of speech.

 

[WaterboyNorCal]

I wouldn't buy ANY Ford EV until they warranty against battery degradation like Tesla does. Fords batteries degrade at a extremely accelerated rate. I'm at 50% degradation after 4 years and 80K miles.

Funny thing is I posted a article on THIS forum trying to get this problem out there to all of you. This forum MUTED my post. No explanation. I have sent multiple emails to them asking why. The only thing I can think of is this forum is owned by Ford. Nice freedom of speech.

I know it’s been over four years, but I just came across this thread and thought it interesting that nobody responded to you. Two likely reasons why-
(1) your statement about battery degradation on a Ford Fusion Energi has little relevance for a discussion about F150 Lightning and EV battery tech. The Ford Fusion Energi had no liquid cooling and due to the hybrid tech, was under far more stress than a modern BEV.
(2) if your battery lost 50% capacity in 4 years & 80k miles, why didn’t you get it replaced under warranty? You should be stoked to get a brand new battery at 80k miles- it’s like winning the warranty lottery.

Unless… you’re not being entirely honest with your statement. Could that be?

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