I've posted before about how I like to keep up with battery tech, so here's some updates from this past month.
NASA is making progress with a solid state battery that weights 30-40% less than conventional lithium-ion batteries with 2-3x the energy density. As a solid state battery it doesn't contain liquid, which solves the flammability issues associated with traditional batteries. It also doesn't use cobalt, nickel, or manganese. These batteries make electric planes a lot more feasible, due to the combination of reduced weight and improved energy density.
We're still gonna need a lot of lithium but as demand grows, the processes to extract and refine lithium will continue to improve. Here's a video about EnergyX, a company that is doing that sort of stuff:
As we move away from fossil fuels as an energy source, the alternatives will keep getting better. Batteries keep getting better, solar panels keep getting better and we keep finding better ways to make both of these with more common resources. More and more money and research will be invested in these spaces as it becomes clear that people won't be buying internal combustion engine cars in the future. As long as we don't get cold feet and turn back, things will continue to get better.
US factory production is apparently the highest it's been in 14 years and it should continue to improve as the US on-shores more of its chip, battery and electric vehicle production. Things still feel like a mess right now but there are a lot of signs that better days are coming. I'm hopeful!
jthrash
I’ve saved truckloads of money this past year driving the EV I got back in 2018 due to not having to pay close attention to the absurd price volatility of gas + price-gouging from oil companies. Any new progress on the technology that makes it cheaper up-front and more feasible for the rest of us is welcome in my book!