Flow
batteries in cars?
batteries in cars?
At
IDTechEx we are convinced that lithium-ion batteries will dominate the
automotive scene over the coming ten years and possibly the coming fifteen
years. During that time we shall see peak lead acid battery the biggest nail in
its coffin being when electric vehicles more widely abandon them and even those
conventional vehicles modified to stay legal under impending carbon dioxide
laws abandon them, relying totally on lithium-ion units.
IDTechEx we are convinced that lithium-ion batteries will dominate the
automotive scene over the coming ten years and possibly the coming fifteen
years. During that time we shall see peak lead acid battery the biggest nail in
its coffin being when electric vehicles more widely abandon them and even those
conventional vehicles modified to stay legal under impending carbon dioxide
laws abandon them, relying totally on lithium-ion units.
However,
that is not to say that there are no other contenders. We have closely
assessed the research and see lithium-sulfur as in the lead but with
considerable challenges to overcome before it hits prime time such as life and
volumetric energy density – being too big though lighter. See the IDTechEx
reports, “Advanced and Post
Lithium-ion Batteries 2016-2026: Technologies, Markets, Forecasts” and
“Lithium-ion Batteries
2016-2026”. Also visit IDTechEx Show! in
Santa Clara California 16-17 November 2016 with
its extensive coverage of solid state batteries and others plus their future
applications.
that is not to say that there are no other contenders. We have closely
assessed the research and see lithium-sulfur as in the lead but with
considerable challenges to overcome before it hits prime time such as life and
volumetric energy density – being too big though lighter. See the IDTechEx
reports, “Advanced and Post
Lithium-ion Batteries 2016-2026: Technologies, Markets, Forecasts” and
“Lithium-ion Batteries
2016-2026”. Also visit IDTechEx Show! in
Santa Clara California 16-17 November 2016 with
its extensive coverage of solid state batteries and others plus their future
applications.
Wild
card
card
One
wild card is the flow battery. Most people rightly see these as very large
units suitable for grid applications such as peak shaving but one or two
organisations are thinking the unthinkable about putting them in cars because
they are headed for $100 per kWh and size and weight might just fit the bill in
due course. Toyota’s advanced research people told us recently that they
would not dismiss the possibility.
wild card is the flow battery. Most people rightly see these as very large
units suitable for grid applications such as peak shaving but one or two
organisations are thinking the unthinkable about putting them in cars because
they are headed for $100 per kWh and size and weight might just fit the bill in
due course. Toyota’s advanced research people told us recently that they
would not dismiss the possibility.
Nanoflowcell has
been exhibiting sports cars it says will use their flow batteries in pure
electric form at 48V and achieve 1000 miles pure electric range. Even that
voltage is counter to received understanding on design of car powertrains. Pure
electric cars are generally headed up towards 800V for light weight and
performance. Yes there is a huge move to keeping conventional cars legal under
impending pollution laws by making them 48V at least in part but not pure
electric vehicles where 48V is typically only seen in very weak duty cycles
such as golf cars and postal delivery vehicles. See the IDTechEx report, “Mild Hybrid 48V Vehicles
2016-2031”.
been exhibiting sports cars it says will use their flow batteries in pure
electric form at 48V and achieve 1000 miles pure electric range. Even that
voltage is counter to received understanding on design of car powertrains. Pure
electric cars are generally headed up towards 800V for light weight and
performance. Yes there is a huge move to keeping conventional cars legal under
impending pollution laws by making them 48V at least in part but not pure
electric vehicles where 48V is typically only seen in very weak duty cycles
such as golf cars and postal delivery vehicles. See the IDTechEx report, “Mild Hybrid 48V Vehicles
2016-2031”.
Nanoflowcell pure
electric car with 1000 miles range said to be launching in 2016
electric car with 1000 miles range said to be launching in 2016
Source: Nanoflowcell
Flow
battery technology is immature. There is everything to play for and although
pumping liquids from reservoirs does not sound compact or reliable in a
car but who knows? Watch this space.
battery technology is immature. There is everything to play for and although
pumping liquids from reservoirs does not sound compact or reliable in a
car but who knows? Watch this space.
Source: JCESR
et al.
et al.
Redox
flow batteries typically have a very low energy density, which is roughly one
order of magnitude lower than the best Li-ion. The way Nanoflowcell aim
at introducing redox flow technology in a car is by making use of a
non-rechargeable chemistry. An analogy can be drawn from hearing aid devices,
which rely on zinc-air batteries: these batteries can last for much longer than
Li-ion, NiMH, or other chemistries, but have to be replaced with new ones once
they reach their end of life.
flow batteries typically have a very low energy density, which is roughly one
order of magnitude lower than the best Li-ion. The way Nanoflowcell aim
at introducing redox flow technology in a car is by making use of a
non-rechargeable chemistry. An analogy can be drawn from hearing aid devices,
which rely on zinc-air batteries: these batteries can last for much longer than
Li-ion, NiMH, or other chemistries, but have to be replaced with new ones once
they reach their end of life.
Such
a model obviously becomes economically not feasible when we
ramp up from microwatt-hours to kilowatt-hours for an EV, but redox flow cells
enjoy an added benefit that other battery chemistries lack. In its simplest
configuration, a redox flow battery comprises two electrolyte tanks (the anolyte and
the catholyte) that react with each other via redox reactions
(hence the name). Once the energy contained in both the anolyte and
the catholyte is completely consumed, these liquids are replaced
with new ones, the same way an ICE car replenishes its tank with gasoline, and
the car. The rest of the flow battery remains in the car and the spent
electrolytes can be hopefully collected, recycled and reused by another
customer. If the combined cost of the electrolytes, of the refuelling
infrastructures, and of the recycling process is
competitive, Nanoflowcell can be expected to deliver a pure electric
car that can be charged within minutes, offer a good driving range, and an
alternative battery chemistry for the automotive industry.
a model obviously becomes economically not feasible when we
ramp up from microwatt-hours to kilowatt-hours for an EV, but redox flow cells
enjoy an added benefit that other battery chemistries lack. In its simplest
configuration, a redox flow battery comprises two electrolyte tanks (the anolyte and
the catholyte) that react with each other via redox reactions
(hence the name). Once the energy contained in both the anolyte and
the catholyte is completely consumed, these liquids are replaced
with new ones, the same way an ICE car replenishes its tank with gasoline, and
the car. The rest of the flow battery remains in the car and the spent
electrolytes can be hopefully collected, recycled and reused by another
customer. If the combined cost of the electrolytes, of the refuelling
infrastructures, and of the recycling process is
competitive, Nanoflowcell can be expected to deliver a pure electric
car that can be charged within minutes, offer a good driving range, and an
alternative battery chemistry for the automotive industry.
Redox flow electrolytes can be extremely cheap (0.1$/kg for the
aqueous ones), which means that they could be serious contenders of gasoline
even in the US. Additionally, redox flow batteries are known for their
longevity, with many companies already offering 20 years warranty for their
stationary batteries. The end game is to make rechargeable flow batteries that
would eliminate the recycling step from the equation, but until
then Nanoflowcell’s product proposition offers a viable bridge to
pure EVs. Among the disadvantages, it is worth mentioning that flow batteries
are not capable of delivering much power, therefore small supercapacitors and/or
Li-ion batteries might still be required for acceleration and regenerative
braking. For an overview on supercapacitor technologies, please see our
dedicated reports “Supercapacitor
Technologies and Markets 2016-2026”, “Supercapacitor
/ Ultracapacitor Interviews, Strategies, Road Map 2015-2025”,
and “Supercapacitor
Materials 2015-2025: Formulations, Forecasts, Roadmap, Companies”.
aqueous ones), which means that they could be serious contenders of gasoline
even in the US. Additionally, redox flow batteries are known for their
longevity, with many companies already offering 20 years warranty for their
stationary batteries. The end game is to make rechargeable flow batteries that
would eliminate the recycling step from the equation, but until
then Nanoflowcell’s product proposition offers a viable bridge to
pure EVs. Among the disadvantages, it is worth mentioning that flow batteries
are not capable of delivering much power, therefore small supercapacitors and/or
Li-ion batteries might still be required for acceleration and regenerative
braking. For an overview on supercapacitor technologies, please see our
dedicated reports “Supercapacitor
Technologies and Markets 2016-2026”, “Supercapacitor
/ Ultracapacitor Interviews, Strategies, Road Map 2015-2025”,
and “Supercapacitor
Materials 2015-2025: Formulations, Forecasts, Roadmap, Companies”.
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