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The Revolutionary Battery That Will Change Everything About Electric Cars and Their Range Has Just Been Assembled in Europe
One of the things that all electric car manufacturers are looking for is a way to extend range by matching or surpassing that of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, as this would help many more people choose to buy an electric car.
To achieve greater range, it is necessary to have a battery with higher energy storage capacity and this will be possible with this new battery.
The Key: It’s a Solid-State Battery
Solid-state batteries are those that use a solid electrolyte instead of a liquid, like the lithium-ion batteries we know today. And, although it seemed difficult to achieve, the HELENA project reported that they successfully assembled solid-state battery cells with a halogen electrolyte. This is very important, as it brings us closer to installing these batteries in electric cars.
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More Range for Electric Cars
The problem with lithium batteries is that, as they complete charge cycles, energy capacity decreases. This means that charges will last less and the car will travel fewer kilometers. This is because the liquid electrolyte solidifies over time, which can cause the battery to overheat and, in some cases, explode.
All of this is solved with a solid-state battery, which has cathodes and anodes and a solid electrolyte. This helps prevent the formation of dendrites, which are responsible for the loss of energy capacity in lithium batteries. In addition, these batteries can store three times the energy, significantly increasing the range of an electric car.
And don’t think this means longer charging times, as it is also reduced. The weight and size would also be reduced, giving us more spacious cars. And, in terms of safety, these batteries do not overheat and can withstand extreme temperatures.
Solving the Cobalt Problem
The battery cells of the HELENA project have a lithium-metal anode and a nickel-manganese-cobalt cathode. Cobalt is likely a scarce mineral that will not be able to meet current demand.
Additionally, it is a very expensive element, and the vast majority is found in just one place, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. When we add all of this up, we see that it is not an easy mineral to obtain.
The HELENA project designed this battery so that 90% of the cobalt can be recycled and used in new batteries, which could solve the problem of obtaining the mineral.
A Project of European Origin
HELENA is the acronym for a solid-state battery project titled “Halide solid state batteries for ELectric Vehicles and Aircraft”, which translates to: “Halogen solid-state batteries for electric vehicles and aircraft”.;
This project is funded by the European Union, which allows the research to continue and that, soon, we may be driving cars with greater range thanks to solid-state batteries.
Contanto que existam pontos de carga com potências altíssimas e nunca se imaginasse que a infraestrutura para geração, transmissão e distribuição de energia fosse um gargalo, então tudo daria certo.
É uma excelente opção para quem pretende ir à Europa. Pretendo viajar com vcs pelas referências positivas que recebi, pela ótima oferta e pelos bons serviços que vcs oferecem!