If we were to think about buying an electric vehicle today, the first thing that would probably come to mind would be the price. Immediately afterwards, the concerns would be about the battery life and the difficulty of recharging it quickly and only in a few equipped stations. Perhaps, however, we will soon be able to be a little more relaxed at least regarding the second aspect: the life of electric vehicle batteries will soon skyrocket.
An American company has announced that it has made new batteries with performance definitely above the current average. We are talking about the new 3D Silicon ™ Lithium-ion cell batteries, produced by Enovix. The company says it has demonstrated that its new test cells for electric vehicles (EV) are able to charge from 0% to 80% in just 5,2 minutes. And they reach over 98% charge in less than 10 minutes.
What's new with these batteries?
The cell structure of these new batteries contains a particular 3D architecture with a system of constraints and inside them they contain a 100% active silicon anode, capable of storing more than double the lithium compared to a battery that uses graphite anodes. , at least in theory.
In addition to fast charging, this new battery also offers good durability and is able to sustain many charge cycles without unduly compromising its operation in the long term. Enovix writes that its cells have exceeded 1000 charge cycles while maintaining at least 93% of their capacity: an exceptional result, which bodes well as regards the longevity of these batteries.
In addition, battery tests have shown that Enovix batteries also have excellent thermal resistance, so much so that they experience minimal loss of capacity after being exposed to high temperatures for 6 months.
The combination of these two characteristics could mean a duration of over 10 years: not bad.
When will we find them in new electric vehicles? How much will they cost?
Unfortunately, it is difficult to answer this question except with due approximation. Certainly we are taking steps towards the design of more accessible electric vehicles and towards a greater diffusion of efficient charging stations. In this regard, Harold Rust, CEO and president of Enovix, stresses the importance of fast charging in the transition to electric vehicles.
Electric vehicle manufacturers are looking for batteries that support longer ranges. The public and private sectors, for their part, are working to increase electric vehicle drivers' access to fast chargers. We are proud to support these goals to help electrify theautomotive industry and demonstrate that our batteries are an exciting option for powering long-range, fast-charging electric vehicles.
The perspectives
Fortunately, the Enovix meets a decidedly fierce competition. In recent years, many companies have started investing more and more in electric vehicles and everything to do with them. There ABB, Swiss multinational, said to have built the fastest electric vehicle charger in the world. The engineers of the Penn State University they developed of lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, capable of guaranteeing a range of over 400km and a charging time of only 10 minutes, all at a lower price than the competition.
We will see what awaits us!
