Although many different battery technologies are currently under development, electric vehicle power is dominated by lithium ion battery technology. Lithium ion batteries do have a number of problems. Some fire risk is associated with these batteries, especially older designs but the main problem is the shortage and high prices of materials that make up the cells. Metals such as cobalt and manganese are in short supply and last year the price of lithium carbonate spiked.
Now two giant Chinese battery companies, BYD and CATL, have started manufacturing sodium ion batteries. Sodium is a thousand times more abundant than lithium and much cheaper. Sodium ion batteries are also safer than lithium ion. The technology is still relatively new and so energy density and the number of charging cycles are improving as the science moves forward. This month BYD launched the Seagull in China priced at $11,300. The Seagull is a B class ( supermini - small car ) vehicle with a range of 190 miles. The Seagull is powered by sodium ion batteries and is expected to become the worlds best selling EV within six months. It joins the sodium ion powered Sehol E10 city car in the Chinese market. BYD says all of its cars priced under $30,000 will be powered by sodium ion batteries.
A look at CATL and BYD sodium ion batteries, the BYD Seagull and other new battery technologies for 2023.
Same video, different name - DGTV
This is a neat video from BYD. It shows the nail penetration safety test on their lithium iron phosphate blade battery. This blade battery is used on many of their models including the higher capacity 38 kWh battery in the new Seagull car.
Agreed (I don't have one). If I did, I also wouldn't sit (and definitely wouldn't nap !!) in it (or near it, after seeing that video !!), while it was charging
E-bikes are really great though. It makes exploring an area on two wheels, or trips into town for shopping, quite enjoyable.
The sodium ion batteries will need to be proven to show that they are really as safe as is being claimed. However if what is being claimed (with regards to safety of the new sodium batteries vs. lithium ion batteries) is true, then the sodium batteries show a lot of promise. The big bonus would be that they don't have the same risk of catching on fire, that the lithium ion batteries carry as a risk when damaged or they malfunction. Time will tell.
@JF thanks for the interesting articles .. I also don't have an electric car or bike, however E-bikes do look like great fun and a practical way to get about.
Thank you. What was striking from the video you posted is how that electric car just suddenly blew up, without it giving any warning whatsoever! That guy, he could not even get away and still got hit by debris, even though he was not even right next to it. Not even a puff of smoke to give a warning, before it suddenly blew up. Yikes.
