331–340 of 396 posts
They've been out of the labs for a while. CATL has been producing sodium ion batteries for a few years already. They are used in some of the cheaper cars there. But nice to see more companies getting sodium ion to production.
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The number of speeds is a function of the number of planetary gearsets. They’re just connected in series. More speeds isn’t more complex, it’s only a larger part count. By the time the transmission is computer controlled and has two speeds it’s as complex as it’s going to be. Modern ICE are also extremely complex. Turbo systems, sensors, air management, heat management, the list goes on. So yeah, a modern transmissio…
>By the time the transmission is computer controlled and has two speeds it’s as complex as it’s going to be. I don't disagree with your posts greater point, but I disagree with this. There is an endless amount of variable complexity in the engineering behind friction materials, actuation styles, the control systems within the computer control, the material selections.. the list goes on. I mean entire branches of meta…
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> But, I am guessing grid frequency regulation use cases are going to make these too expensive for a car for a long time. Not sure I follow here. Can you elaborate? Are you saying the the demand for sodium batteries for power grid backup is going to be high vs supply such that they're not going to make it into cars anytime soon? Isn't one of the Chinese EV makers starting to use sodium batteries?
Yeah I am thinking grid applications will take up most of the available supply for the next few years. That charge/discharge speed makes it perfect for helping to stabilize the grid, frequency regulation, as well as for replacing peaker plants. Lithium batteries are already being used for these two applications but I think these sodium batteries would be better.
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"The energy density of sodium ion batteries is low.It is only 100-150Wh/kg, while the energy density of lithium energy is 120-180Wh/kg. This means that for batteries of the same size, sodium-ion batteries can store much less energy than lithium-ion batteries.Jan 2, 2024" https://www.dnkpower.com/will-sodium-batteries-replace-lithi...
Depends on where you get your numbers: “The density of sodium batteries is still relatively low, between 140 Wh/Kg and 160 Wh/kg, compared to lithium-ion battery’s 180 Wh/Kg–250 Wh/Kg.” https://www.flashbattery.tech/en/sodium-batteries/
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What? Smart phones are famously high-margin devices. What do you mean "prioritize price"? Not for most smart phones.
There's a few billion people who can't afford the latest model iPhone or Google Pixel device each year
I had an early EV with only 80 miles of range, and found it extremely useful for most in town travel and commuting. Now that EVs are pushing ~400 miles range at about 300Wh/kg, assuming sodium is about half that (from what I've seen), you'd still get a respectable 100-200 miles in a car. For me, and I imagine a lot of people, that would be totally acceptable if it means lower cost, and batteries that effectively last…
> I imagine a lot of people, that would be totally acceptable if it means lower cost, and batteries that effectively last forever without replacement. MBAs at car manufacturing companies will ensure that battery pack cost savings are NOT passed on to the consumer, don't worry about that. We were supposed to hit $100/KWh on battery packs several years ago, but EV prices skyrocketed instead, despite literally being in…
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This is truly one of those "it begins" moments. The article touches on it - but the news goes well beyond the battery. Li ion batteries come with significant geopolitical baggage beyond simple cost. The situation is well summarised by the graph on this page. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/chart-countries-produ...
The chart is about production but does it omit the real story by implying scarcity? There are huge amounts in the US; here are two: https://www.techspot.com/news/100117-potentially-world-large... https://www.unilad.com/news/lithium-white-gold-lake-californ... PS, here's another: https://www.mainepublic.org/2021-10-25/a-1-5-billion-lithium...
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From the article it claims charge speed 10x that of lithium and 50,000 cycle lifetime. I don’t know about you but a EV that can go 150 miles and charge to 80% again in 2min would be super compelling to me. Solid commuter car but not too annoying on the rare roadtrip. But, I am guessing grid frequency regulation use cases are going to make these too expensive for a car for a long time.
I missed the 10x charge speed- that is a killer feature that more than makes up for the reduced range.
10x of charging speed of Li-ion would be in megawatts per single charging device.
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Uplift labor and human rights movements everywhere so they can retain self-determination but still extinguish the hellscape of exploitation that we have currently. We don't need anything top-down. I understand there would be challenges with doing that, but I like to think a better world is possible and it starts with respecting others' humanity.
The no further regulation option is people looking for the “made in …” on goods and not buying from certain countries. Then invoke Milton freedman.
If other countries want regulations and labor rights, hell yeah.
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The number of speeds is a function of the number of planetary gearsets. They’re just connected in series. More speeds isn’t more complex, it’s only a larger part count. By the time the transmission is computer controlled and has two speeds it’s as complex as it’s going to be. Modern ICE are also extremely complex. Turbo systems, sensors, air management, heat management, the list goes on. So yeah, a modern transmissio…
>By the time the transmission is computer controlled and has two speeds it’s as complex as it’s going to be. I don't disagree with your posts greater point, but I disagree with this. There is an endless amount of variable complexity in the engineering behind friction materials, actuation styles, the control systems within the computer control, the material selections.. the list goes on. I mean entire branches of meta…