Incredible new battery can reduce EV fire risks: ‘It will not be a fringe player’
The announcement of battery giant CATL’s second-gen sodium-ion battery — as well as a joint initiative by U.S. laboratories in developing similar tech — could mean this lithium-ion alternative has a future in the mainstream market.
Although lithium-ion batteries are the market standard, as Inside Climate News observed, the high cost and rare metals required for their manufacture are a hindrance in expanding the EV market and phasing out reliance on dirty fuels.
Production of sodium-based batteries is experiencing growth and is expected to hit 140 gigawatt-hours by 2030, as Inside Climate News explained. That’s 13 times its current level. At the same time, lithium-ion production is still expected to triple by the same year.
Catherine Peake, an analyst for Benchmark, told the publication,
The key market driver for sodium-ion batteries is their potential to be cost competitive with lithium-ion batteries,
On the upside, sodium-ion batteries are cheaper to produce, rely on more abundant, easily mined materials, and have a lower risk of fire due to factors such as less reactive cathode materials and lower cell energy density.
However, they weigh more than their lithium counterparts, which translates to decreased range potential. That means that more research is needed to make them viable to a broad range of EV consumers.
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Still, some Chinese car manufacturers have already launched vehicles using sodium-ion batteries for their economy lines. They’re already being used for grid storage services in the country, as weight is irrelevant for static placement.
Another benefit to the use of this novel alternative is that it retains its charging capabilities in sub-zero temperatures, a notable drawback of lithium-ion models.
The U.S. laboratory consortium, which includes Argonne National Laboratory, has received $50 million in funding and laid out a five-year plan to help bring this more sustainable sodium-based battery tech forward.
Christopher Johnson, senior chemist and Argonne distinguished fellow, said :
Our battery program at Argonne has been studying sodium-ion batteries for well over a decade now,
”And our design for the cathode structure makes sodium-ion batteries an appealing alternative for budget-friendly and more sustainable electric vehicles.”
By helping to shift more vehicles off of dirty fuels and onto more sustainable energy sources, such as electricity from solar and wind power, we can make headway in addressing the problem of planet-warming pollution.
Argonne Director Paul Kearns, and his colleague Venkat Srinivasan shares his positive view of the technology’s future, said :
Argonne will push sodium-ion battery technology forward and contribute to a secure energy future for everyone,
Srinivasan, per Inside Climate News, said:
It will not be a fringe player,
“It will actually be a fast-growing segment.”
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Incredible new battery can reduce EV fire risks: ‘It will not be a fringe player’, source
