The first EV with a lithium-free sodium battery hits the road in January
The first EV with a lithium-free sodium battery hits the road in January
JAC Motors, a Volkswagen-backed Chinese automaker, unveiled the first mass-produced EV with a sodium-ion battery through its new Yiwei brand. Although sodium-ion battery tech has a lower density than lithium-ion, its lower costs, simpler and more abundant supplies and superior cold-weather performan...
What new goalposts are conservatives going to throw up this time for why they need to keep using dinosaur fuels
15I wish they would just say "I don't want one" instead of trying to justify it with myths about lifetime emissions or whatever. It's the same thing with SUVs vs station wagons or hatchbacks- just say "I want the big one" instead of trying to peddle myths about safety or something.
17Myths? Electric cars are not good for the environment, period, as their manufacture has huge impacts everywhere especially with lithium batteries.
The important thing that the conservatives miss is that all individual car transportation is horrible for the environment. Only public transit cuts emissions massively. That's why electric cars exist. They're not built to save the environment. They are built to save the car as a concept and means of individual transit. To keep consumers buying more cars and car parts rather than building and investing in public transportation.
What I find infuriating is how electric car makers lie in their advertising about how eco-friendly their vehicles are. They're not, and they know they're not, and they lie anyways because some people believe it.
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Does that mean less mining of toxic shit on the periphery and shit?
6Short version: yes.
Long version: No lithium, no cobalt, usually no nickel, usually no manganese, and no graphite. I'm not sure what electrolytes will prove best, but multiple metal-oxide cathodes are viable (in addition to prussian-blue analogues), and the anode is just hard carbon (basically charcoal). The raw components are plentiful on every continent. Depending on chemistry, some of the steps are potentially toxic if mishandled (chromium oxide), but no one to my knowledge has raised any major red flags.
12Thanks! !
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If that thing can do 157 miles, I’ll eat my hat. It’s got a Leaf-sized battery in it, which was actually pretty efficient, yet struggled to hit 80 miles in good weather. Still glad to see it though.
4The problem is that this is a Chinese automaker and things aren't looking good between the Western world and China right now...
3The batteries for the cars in this article are made by Farasis Energy, which is an American company. Northvolt also has their sodium program, and Natron Energy is already making stationary backup batteries. China will not have a monopoly on this tech.
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I wish US car companies have more EV options. It’s Tesla (I’d never buy one), and a few other options (Hyundai, Kia have theirs). None are particularly attractive to me. The SUV styles available don’t interest me. I’m in Asia on vacation and the electric and hybrid options are amazing. I’d love a small car option with AWD. I’ll continue to drive my 10+ year old car until something interesting comes to market.
3I don’t know if it’s AWD, but I’m excited for the Fiat 500e coming to the U.S.
2I love my Bolt. It's cheap, small, and has great range. Not AWD but it does fine in winter thanks to the weight. I've had it for 3 years now.
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