Important Innovations

  Lilac Solutions Innovative Tech & Global Battery Shortages Source:  Lilac Solutions Potential Battery Breakthru for EVs, Smartphones & More Lithium ion batteries are the power source for EVs, smartphones, computers and more.  The use of lithium ion batteries has become so pervasive that global demand for them is expected to quadruple over the next decade and global market shortages are expected as early as 2023. Now, there may be a new tech solution. Lilac Solutions, an Oakland, California startup, has a revolutionary new lithium ion extraction process that appears to be exponentially quicker, less expensive, less energy intensive and far more environmentally friendly than current lithium mining technologies.   Lithium - the "Irreplaceable Metal" for EVs Lithium is known as the "irreplaceable metal" for EVs because of its high energy density to power batteries with fewer cells at potentially less expense.  It is found in hard rock mountainous regions, whic

  2 New EV Mega Manufacturing Plants in the US                         Source:  Ford New EV Plant & EV Trucks $11.4 Billion for Electrification Ford, along with South Korea's SK Innovation energy company, are investing $11.4 billion to build two, huge manufacturing facilities for electric vehicles in Kentucky and Tennessee.  Ford is partnering with SK on the development and manufacturing of much less expensive lithium-ion batteries to bring down the price of Ford electric vehicles and make them much more affordable to the average consumer.  Ford is investing $7 billion in the project.  SK is investing $4.4 billion. That is the biggest manufacturing investment in Ford's 118 year history.  The projects will create 11,000 new US jobs and the facilities are expected to be up and running by 2025. Ford's Big Electric Plans Ford's plans for electric vehicles are big as it shifts away from gas powered vehicles.  The company will invest a total of $30 billion into EVs by 202

  2 New EV Mega Manufacturing Plants in the US                         Source:  Ford New EV Plant & EV Trucks $11.4 Billion for Electrification - Major EV Commitment Ford, along with South Korea's SK Innovation energy company, are investing $11.4 billion to build two, huge manufacturing facilities for electric vehicles in Kentucky and Tennessee.  Ford is partnering with SK on the development and manufacturing of much less expensive lithium-ion batteries to bring down the price of Ford electric vehicles and make them much more affordable to the average consumer.  Ford is investing $7 billion in the project.  SK is investing $4.4 billion. That is the biggest manufacturing investment in Ford's 118 year history.  The projects will create 11,000 new US jobs and the facilities are expected to be up and running by 2025. Ford's Big Electric Plans Ford's plans for electric vehicles are big as it shifts away from gas powered vehicles.  The company will invest a total of $30 b

  New Cobalt Free, Less Expensive Battery                                                       Source:  Tesla Model 3 On Model 3's in China Tesla has made an important move on the battery front in China.  It's about to start selling Model 3 vehicles in China equipped with much less expensive, cobalt-free lithium ion phosphate (LFP) batteries.  China-made Model 3's currently use nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries.  The starting price in China with government incentives on Model 3 is $39,900.  Reuters says the Tesla announcement about the battery upgrade may come tomorrow. EV Marketplace In the electric vehicle marketplace, the technology race is all about bringing down battery costs and extending range.  Cobalt is one of the most expensive metals in the world.  Taking that cost out of the battery will be a big savings for Tesla. Tesla is expected to use the China made LFP batteries in all Model 3 vehicles made in China.  That will significantly bring down the cost of produci

Organic Proton Battery with Sustainable Storage Source:  Uppsala University From Sweden, New Battery that's Good for Environment Scientists at Sweden's Uppsala University have invented a proton battery that is composed of organic  materials and is based on protons rather than  ions.  The organic compounds are called quinones,  which are used by plants in photosynthesis and are  plentiful in nature.  This is a proof of concept, small button cell battery with outstanding performance. And, it's a first of its kind. Climate Smart Battery The Uppsala scientists call this a climate smart battery  with sustainable energy storage.  It reaches a full  capacity recharge in seconds (100), using a solar cell.   It can be charged and discharged more than 500 times  without any loss of capacity. The battery is free of any fire or explosion hazards.  And, unlike standard batteries, it is unaffected by ambient temperatures. Big Green

AI Helping to Develop Super Fast Charging, Longer Lasting Batteries for EV's Source:  E-Cars Charging stock image Breakthrough Approach by Toyota, Stanford University & MIT Using AI, researchers at Stanford, MIT and Toyota have developed a vastly accelerated approach to fast-charging, long lasting batteries for electric vehicles.  The team is using a new AI machine learning method.  It slashed battery testing times by 98% and the researchers say that is a key to creating the EV Holy Grail of supercharging batteries.  The researchers say their AI approach may make a recharge take a couple of minutes like refueling your car at a gas station. AI Trial and Error at Warp Speeds The AI method is enabling the team to quickly identify what's working to create ultra-fast and long range batteries.  In fact, they've been able to cut the trial and error of experimenting with different battery development approaches from 2 years to 16 days. 

One of the World's Largest:  $2.3 Billion EV Battery Plant for Lordstown, Ohio Source:  GM Electric Cadillac GM and South Korea's LG Chem Joint Venture GM and South Korea's LG Chem are investing $2.3 billion to build an electric vehicle battery cell plant in the Lordstown area of Ohio, USA.  The plant will be one of the world's largest EV battery cell producing plants.  GM and LG Chem will break ground for the new facility in mid-2020 and the new plant will create 1100 jobs at the start of operations. The companies say this plant will be flexible enough to respond to rapid changes in EV battery technology needs.  Those needs are accelerating with demand for greater range on less charge times, advancing with electric car technology and they are very expensive. GM CEO Mary Barra's Electric Vehicle Commitment This is a very significant investment.  GM CEO Mary Barra believes that the future of driving is electric.  The lack of lithium-ion bat

Toyota and China's BYD Team-Up Source:  Toyota Electric Concept Car Affordable, Electric Battery Powered Vehicles The collaborations in the global electric and self-driving automotive market are unrelenting.  Toyota just announced a partnership with China's BYD, an electric automaker, to develop electric vehicles and the batteries to power them.  The industry partnerships are designed to help speed the development of new technologies into the market and to share the very high R&D costs. Compact Crossover in 2020 Toyota and BYD's goal is to develop electric vehicles that are affordable to mass populations.   They are targeting both electric sedans and SUVs.   The vehicles will be sold under the Toyota brand by 2025.  Batteries are needed by Toyota to reach its new goals.  It wants half of its global sales from electric vehicles, including gasoline hybrids, by 2025.  That's five years ahead of schedule.  Zero Emissions Market Massive competition has deve

World First:  Converting Eggshells into Electrodes Source:  KIT, Germany Potentially New, Better Batteries This is a breakthrough discovery by an international team of scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany.  It's the first time that bio-waste - discarded eggshells - have been converted into electrodes.  The innovation can lead to green energy storage systems and better, new batteries.  For a news blog on it, go to Important Innovations Collection: Eggshells -Green Sustainable Energy Storage : World First - From Biowaste to Electrode Source:  KIT Better, New Batteries This is a world first.  A sustainable green energy storag...

Biodegradable, Hybrid Biobatteries Take-off Researchers at the State University of New York at Binghamton have developed a breakthrough biobattery, that's been eluding the engineering and scientific communities for decades.  It's paper-based, eco-friendly and hybrid.  On top of that, it's inexpensive and performs well. The problems this SUNY team have overcome are making the battery easy to produce, really biodegradable and powerful enough. Eco-Friendly Alternative The hybrid paper battery is easy to produce, flexible and biodegradable.  It has much higher power-to-cost ratio than previously reported paper-based microbial batteries.  This one uses a hybrid of paper and engineered polymers.  The polymers are the key to making it biodegradable. Powered to Start Ending Electronic Waste There's been a dramatic increase in electronics waste and the new biobattery is a start to reduce that.  Also, SUNY Asst. Professor Sean Choi says the battery's power can be