Currently, electric vehicle batteries are estimated to last between 10 and 20 years. While 10 years is longer than the length of time most car owners own any one car during its 14-year average lifespan, worries about the gradual decline in charge capacity and a subsequent potential issue with selling an electric car second hand, remain a deterrent to many consumers. This is despite the phasing out by 2030 of new diesel and petrol cars and the ever-rising cost of fuel.
The good news is that Australian scientists have developed technology that promises to significantly increase the lifespan of batteries. The innovation by the team at the University of Queensland is a fantastic development for the future of zero-emissions driving.
What have the researchers discovered?
To alleviate the universal and inevitable problem of battery corrosion, which eventually results in the end of the lifespan of all batteries, the team developed what lead professor Lianzhou Wang described as a ‘minimal protective coating.’ With the use of this coating, the team were able to more than double the lifespan of frequently used high-voltage Li-ion batteries.
As well as improving the lifespan of EV batteries, the new technology which also results in a lower cost and higher energy density, has great implications for the longevity and performance of products, including power tools, laptops and smartphones as well as electric vehicles.
What about the range of electric vehicles?
Another reason why many British motorists remain hesitant about making the transition to electric vehicles is due to the phenomenon of ‘range anxiety’. Battery ranges that often fall well short of the distance a tank full of petrol or diesel can fuel, combined with a lack of reliable and well spread-out charging infrastructure, means that this issue remains a very real concern for UK motorists unless they have access to the Tesla Supercharger network or only ever drive short distances.
However, there is also positive news on battery range, meaning that as the charging network continues to improve (and may soon include access to Tesla chargers for all EV motorists), the length of the journeys electric cars are able to make is also improving.
At the Society of Motor Manufacturers’ (SMMT) 2022 Test Day, the battery range of electric vehicles was found to have grown from an average of 74 miles to nearly 260 miles during what the organisation has dubbed the UK’s ‘first electric decade.’
This more than threefold improvement is testament to the motor industry’s growing commitment to green driving, with more than 40% of vehicles on the current market now being plug-ins, whether that’s battery only or hybrids.
A greener, cleaner future
The motor industry is now heavily focused on producing plug-in vehicles as consumer and business demand continues to grow and the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles looms ever closer. With recent headlines about the Highway Code being altered this year to allow the owners of driverless cars to watch TV screens whilst in the driver’s seat, it’s clear that despite the challenges of recent years, we are entering a new era in motoring.
For Interflex, this presents an exciting opportunity to move with the times with the NVH solutions we provide to the motor industry. Our latest innovation is Ocean, a recycled and recyclable mouldable lightweight material that is already being used in the car industry in headliners and doors and has potential to be used in other high-performance industries such as railways, roadways and construction.
To find out more about our NVH solutions please email sales@interflex2000.com or call us on 01949 861494.