KAUST, a Saudi Arabian private research university, says that lithium batteries may soon enjoy enhanced efficiency, thanks to a highly ordered foam of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) that it has discovered.
KAUST reports that the complex hierarchical structure of the self-assembling foam allows it to easily and repeatedly soak up and then release large quantities of lithium ions, making the new material a potential key component of faster-charging and longer-lived lithium-ion batteries.
Although MoS2 has been a promising lithium-ion battery anode material, it typicallyconsists of atomically thin 2D layers, stacked like sheets of paper. “This brittle layered structure lacks electrochemical stability and limits lithium-ion diffusion into and out of the material,” says Xuan Wei, a PhD student in the lab of Vincent Tung, who led the research.
Tung, Wei and their collaborators at Aramco eventually discovered a setup in which the nanosheets form an organized stable 3D foam. This structure is essential to the excellent anode performance of the material, which was shown by the team to maintain a high lithium capacity over time and to withstand repeated swelling and shrinking as large amounts of lithium are absorbed and then released over each battery discharge/recharge cycle.
Automakers differ widely in how forthcoming they are with technical specs. When one German automaker released its first major EV model, it hosted a press event at which cutaway versions of battery packs and electric motors were on display, and the engineers who designed them were on hand to answer questions. In contrast, another Teutonic brand (Bavarian, actually) sends us interminable press releases about its new models with paragraph after paragraph about exterior and interior “design cues” and how they’re supposed to make drivers feel—but almost no technical information at all.
Tesla is a different animal. It has no PR staff, and seldom communicates with the fourth estate at all. Info about upcoming vehicles is limited to an occasional blog post, a few tidbits at reveal events, and impulsive blurts on Twitter. Investigative journalists and geeky fans do their best to fill in the blanks, scouring the internet for clues about battery capacity, chemistry and other Kabbalistic pearls of wisdom.
When it comes to the Tesla Semi, it’s not just fanboys and pencil-pockets who are slavering for specs. Electric trucks have the potential to revolutionize the trucking industry, and fleet operators and shippers are eager to know how the Semi’s payload, cost per mile and such compare to other Class 8 EVs from Daimler, Volvo, BYD et al, and to legacy diesel vehicles.
Battery Design maintains a page that lists pretty much all of what is known so far about the mysterious rig. Some of the figures are from Tesla, some are estimates from a variety of sources, and all are subject to updates as new clay tablets are revealed.
We know that the Semi has three independent motors: one on the second axle that’s constantly engaged, and two on the rear axle that are engaged when more acceleration is required. We know that it’s going to be offered in two versions, one with 300 miles of range and one with 500 miles. We’re pretty sure that the system operates at 1,000 V.
Tesla has not released the battery capacity, but BD estimates that it’s around 850 kWh (Electrek puts it at around 900 kWh). We also don’t know the exact weight, but BD figures it at around 12 tonnes, which would be some 2,500 kg heavier than a typical ICE tractor.
What about efficiency? Battery Design offers an online calculator that allows you to estimate any vehicle’s power usage by plugging in figures for drag coefficient, mass, speed, gradient and auxiliary loads.
Some more info about the Semi’s battery pack recently leaked. An intrepid investigator called Green the Only (via Electrek) came across some pix (apparently from a parts catalog) that show the basic design of the pack and how it fits into the tractor. As you’d imagine, the pack is located beneath the cabin. The surprise is that it doesn’t look like any of Tesla’s earlier packs. There are nine modules in two different sizes, and they’re taller than the modules we’re used to seeing—but that makes sense when you consider how much energy Tesla had to fit into a very small horizontal footprint.
As for what the Semi is like from the driver’s standpoint, Tesla actually offered up some details and a short video at the December delivery event. Tesla Oracle (via EVannex) has the story.
NEO, a developer of silicon anode materials, reports that it has signed an MOU with an undisclosed Asia-based producer of high-purity silicon powder derived by recycling silicon by-product waste from solar photovoltaic cell and semiconductor manufacturing.
The purpose, says NEO, is to significantly enhance price competitiveness of silicon anode materials for EV batteries by integrating the recycled silicon input into NBMSiDE, NEO’s proprietary silicon anode materials. The company projects a price reduction in the silicon input of between 30 and 40 percent.
NEO expects to receive recycled silicon in January for sample testing to assess performance, viability and collaboration/research direction. The company also reports that it has discussed with the recycler collaborative opportunities to enter the North American market and is seeking further joint development activities with Li-ion battery supply chain players in the coming year.
The redesigned front bumper is the most significant change that we were able to see in this set o ID.3 facelift spy shots.
Source: Electric Vehicle News
Honda is overhauling its business as it looks to spark growth and catch up in the rapidly expanding EV market. The automaker said Tuesday it would establish a new division and consolidate operations to accelerate EV deployment.
Tesla has confirmed that following the recent price drops, both Model 3 and Model Y will now benefit from the full ~$7,000 EV subsidy in Germany for the first time.
Will it be a repeat of 2022? Is this the beginning of Tesla’s incremental price increases on the way back to the old prices?
Source: Electric Vehicle News
