Back in May we talked about the rising popularity of electric vehicles and why you should invest in one, you can read the full blog here. Since then there has been a vast amount of progress into tackling society’s biggest concern about electric cars: the battery dying.
A recent article published in NewScientist talks about the discovery of adding a ‘dash of potassium’ to help make longer lasting batteries. It highlights how by adding potassium salt to lithium-metal batteries it could make them safer and on top of that boost their charging efficiency.
This charging efficiency is estimated to have been boosted by 4%, regarding charging efficiency, this small increase can go a long way.
Because of how lithium-metal batteries charge, they are known to have a build-up of tiny lithium deposits on the electrode surface which can cause the car battery to short circuit.
The revelation is still being investigated to understand fully how this works when potassium salt is added but this development could be huge in reducing the doubt over relying on an electric vehicle for long journeys.
However, this is a huge step in a positive direction for the future of electric vehicles becoming the main option for both personal and public transport. “This research will be important for the discovery of next-generation battery chemistries that will offer improvements in energy density and safety,” says Shahid Rasul at Northumbria University in the UK, such as lithium-sulphur and lithium-air batteries. “[This] is critical for electrifying the transportation and aviation sectors,” he says.
Exciting stuff!