Our modern world relies extensively on batteries – and their strength and recharge-ability taxes our research scientists considerably. Lithium is the current ‘go-to’ material of choice – it is a light, conductive metal but is inherently unstable, with serious issues around overheating or even bursting into flames. So the search is on for a solid-state lithium battery that could power a car.
One company that has been working for some time in this field is called Sakti3. They utilise a Thin-film deposition process to make experimental solid state Lithium batteries; and have recently been bought by Sir James Dyson with the specific brief to develop a new solid state battery to drive an electric car, and potentially double its range.
Dyson’s stated aim is to develop such a car by 2020, and to do this he will need to ensure that such batteries can be produced in a commercially viable way. This will need to be balanced by the fact that lithium-ion battery production costs are falling, and that they too are improving in efficiency.
Extra information may be found at:
www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2017/10/economist-explains-6
