A big priority for the electric vehicle industry is improving battery technology to boost the range of these cars. A couple of months ago we shared a story about a start-up that is creating longer-range batteries without environmentally-taxing precious metals. Now, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology has developed a new carbon-silicon material that could double the range of electric vehicles and reduce charging time.
The batteries use silicon anodes, which have a high energy capacity but have historically been worse at holding a charge. Led by researcher Hun-Gi Jung, the team used a simple thermal process to keep these silicon anodes stable and take advantage of their high energy potential. The process actually utilizes the same principles as food frying using water, oil, and starch.
The new battery is a big improvement from traditional graphite anode models. It has four times the capacity, remains stable for over 500 cycles, and even charges to 80 percent full in just five minutes!
Given the simple and affordable process used to create these innovative batteries, they will likely be commercialized and widely produced soon. Technology like this makes electric vehicles all the more efficient and appealing to consumers. Battery solutions are an effective primary tool for the widespread use of electric cars.
