New battery technology reduces risk of electric vehicle fires

Although lithium-ion batteries are now the norm, high manufacturing costs and dependence on rare metals have become major barriers to expanding the electric vehicle (EV) market and reducing fossil fuel use.

CALT’s technology could pave the way for sodium-ion batteries to become a viable option in the mainstream. Sodium-ion battery production is forecast to grow rapidly, reaching 140 gigawatt-hours by 2030, 13 times the current level. Meanwhile, lithium-ion battery production is expected to triple over the same period.

Sodium-ion batteries are promised to replace lithium-ion batteries.

“The main driver of the sodium-ion battery market is cost competitiveness with lithium-ion batteries,” said analyst Catherine Peake at Benchmark.

Sodium-ion batteries have the advantage of lower manufacturing costs, use of more readily available and abundant raw materials, and a lower risk of explosion due to their less reactive cathode material structure. However, their downside is that they are heavier, resulting in reduced operating range, which requires more research to improve their feasibility for consumers.

Many applications for sodium-ion batteries

Some Chinese automakers have started using sodium-ion batteries in economy cars, and they have also been used in grid storage services where weight is not a major factor. Notably, sodium-ion batteries can still be charged at sub-zero temperatures – a weakness of lithium-ion batteries.

The fear of explosion is always present in lithium-ion batteries.

Not only China, the US has also been developing sodium-ion batteries for some time. The US Argonne National Laboratory has also received a $50 million grant to develop sustainable sodium battery technology over the next five years. "Our battery program has been researching sodium-ion batteries for more than a decade. Our cathode structure design makes sodium-ion batteries a compelling alternative for sustainable and cost-effective electric vehicles," said Christopher Johnson, a senior chemist at Argonne.

Argonne Director Paul Kearns stressed that sodium-ion battery technology will contribute to the transition of many fossil fuel-powered vehicles to more sustainable energy sources, such as solar and wind, thereby helping to solve the global pollution problem.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cong-nghe-pin-moi-giam-nguy-co-chay-xe-dien-185250212084454205.htm