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Why Electric Cars Catching Fire Must Concern You

While industry experts and new car buyers are beginning to jump on the EV bandwagon, we must also acquaint ourselves with the issue of electric cars catching fire. Now, before we go any further, we must mention that this is not an EV-bashing blog or creating fear among potential buyers, but a rather factual piece of content which talks about why EV fires are different and worse than fire in ICE-powered vehicles. Also, for the record, USA Today shows data highlighting that the number of EVs catching fire out of 100,000 vehicles is just 25 compared to gas cars (1,530). So, EVs are clearly much safer when it comes to fire explosions. Furthermore, most fires occur when vehicles get crashed which may necessarily not be due to any defect in the battery or construction. With that out of the way, let us discuss the chemistry of an EV fire. You might also like: Does the Future of EVs Rest on Sodium Ion Batteries? Chemistry of Electric Cars Catching Fire When a traditional gas-powered vehicle gets engulfed in flames, standard procedures like putting water into the fire to cut the oxygen supply works adequately. Additionally, fire extinguishers can control the situation and people are aware of what to do in such situations. However, that is the most terrifying aspect of EVs catching fire. We know that most EV batteries use Lithium-ion chemistry with Nickel, Cobalt, Manganese metals and liquid electrolytes. Generally, the battery is sealed off securely and it is meant to stay that way even during unfortunate cases. However, if the battery catches fire once, most standard procedures won’t be effective in dousing it out. The reason behind that is simple. The EV battery components become the fuel themselves causing a thermal runaway. This is due to the electrolyte decomposing and releasing Oxygen among other toxic gases including Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen Cyanide, Hydrofluoric Acid and Cobalt. You might also like: Top Solid-State Battery Companies For EVs You don’t need to get in contact with these gases to get affected negatively. Some of these gases could get absorbed by your skin. That is the reason why people have lost their lives in such fires. There have also been cases reported where the fire kept on going for hours despite being tried to control it using conventional water and fire extinguishers. Hence, if such a fire breaks out in a parking lot where multiple EVs are parked, we could have a serious problem on our hands. Since most people charge their EVs at their homes, this issue becomes more pertinent. Overnight charging is the most common and practical way of charging EVs across the world. In fact, some people, due to a lack of space around the house, end up installing charging equipment inside the house. In countries like Australia, solar charging and storage devices are quite common. But these must be away from the house, at least outside the building so that even if there are such terrible situations, lives are not at stake. That is the reason why EV fires are extremely perilous and we must be informed about such things. As mentioned previously, the chances of EVs catching fire are still a lot lesser compared to traditional gas-powered vehicles. Nevertheless, proper safety measures and procedures must be in place as EVs get more popular than ever. The concerned authorities must come up with safety protocols about what must be done in such situations so that people are able to deal with these scenarios in the best possible way.

Top Solid-State Battery Companies For EVs

11 Comments / Battery / By LEC Team

There are over 40 solid-state battery companies for EVs across the world at the moment. Some of these are owned or operated by the legacy carmakers themselves to stay ahead in the competition of the EV wave. These batteries have a cathode (+) and a solid-state ceramic separator in contact with the anode (-) which is formed after ion transfer. As the battery charges, the Lithium ions travel through the ceramic separator and deposit on the contact surface on the other side making an anode of pure metallic Lithium. You might also like: Does the Future of EVs Rest on Sodium Ion Batteries? This Lithium metal anode allows the energy to be stored in the battery in a smaller area increasing the energy density. Hence, the overall weight of this configuration is lower than the regular Lithium-ion batteries, the energy density is higher leading to an increased range, charging times are shorter and the system is non-inflammable. This construction, essentially, addresses all the shortcomings typical of Li-ion batteries. However, mass production has not commenced yet. Here are the top 5 companies that are developing this technology. You might also like: Are Chargers at DC Fast Charging Stations Bad For EVs? Top Solid-State Battery Companies For EVs Volkswagen & Bill Gates – QuantumScape QuantumScape is an American company that makes solid-state batteries for EVs and is based in San Jose, California. It was established in 2010 and employs around 400 people. However, the most important aspect of this company is the fact that it is backed by Volkswagen and Bill Gates. Its main features include a 650 km range, 380-500 Wh/kg energy density (regular Li-ion batteries have somewhere around 250 Wh/kg) and a charge time of around 15 mins. BMW & Ford – Solid Power Solid Power is a solid-state battery manufacturer that is partners with BMW and Ford. It specializes in sulfide-based solid ion-conducting chemistry (replacing liquid electrolytes in regular Li-ion batteries) and also swapping the graphite anode with a Lithium metal anode. It is producing 2 Ah cells with 320 Wh/kg energy density. You might also like: Tesla Battery (4680) vs BYD Blade Battery – Comparison Toyota and Panasonic – Prime Planet Energy & Solutions Inc. The Japanese auto-giant in amidst developing its own solid-state batteries to power future EVs. It partnered with Panasonic to form Prime Planet Energy & Solutions Inc. It is planning to produce solid-state batteries in limited numbers by 2025. The batteries will have a range of 700 km and will have a charging time from 0-100% of 10-15 mins. Hyundai – Factorial Energy With extensive research and investment in solid-state batteries over the past 6 years, Factorial Energy is a Hyundai-backed company. At the 2023 Consumers Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Factorial showcased its 100 Ah prototype cells. These will offer 30% higher energy density than the traditional Li-ion batteries. With such giants of the automotive industry backing this technology, it sure looks like a matter of time before mass production of these solid-state batteries for EVs starts offering greater and safer alternatives to the existing Li-ion batteries. Apart from that, alternative battery technologies like Sodium-ion will also witness some more R&D. Within a brief span of a few years, consumers might have a wide choice while considering electric cars in terms of price, range and safety.

Sodium Ion Battery - Representational Image

Does the Future of EVs Rest on Sodium Ion Batteries?

8 Comments / Battery / By LEC Team

Sodium Ion batteries are emerging as a viable solution for EVs but there are pros and cons to them. Currently, almost all EV batteries are constructed using Lithium Ion chemistry. In addition to that, the other elements used in Li-ion configuration include Nickel, Copper, Manganese, Cobalt, etc. Now, all these (including Lithium) are limited resources found in a handful of areas around the globe. Not only that, there are environmental challenges associated with the mining of most of these elements. For instance, the Democratic Republic of the Congo sits on the largest Cobalt reserves in the world. There are numerous and frequent cases of child labour being used to extract Cobalt which raises human rights concerns in addition to the limited amount of such rare elements. Also, Lithium is primarily used in consumer electronics like smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc. Hence, the automobile industry will always be the second recipient of it. You might also like: Are Chargers at DC Fast Charging Stations Bad For EVs? Sodium Ion Batteries for EVs That is where Sodium comes into the picture. Sodium is the 6th most abundant element in earth’s crust. More importantly, it sits right next to Lithium on the periodic table which lends almost similar properties compared to Lithium. Being abundantly available means that the cost of the element is significantly lower than Lithium. At present, the cost of EVs is what is the biggest hurdle in mass adoption apart from the charging infrastructure. Advantages of Sodium Ion Batteries in EVs Disadvantages You might also like: Tesla Battery (4680) vs BYD Blade Battery – Comparison Could Sodium-Ion Batteries Replace Lithium-Ion in EVs? Well, it is that classic case of yes and no. Better put, there is a chance that both could co-exist depending on the use case and market. Markets, where cost is the driving factor for EV sales, could go for Sodium-Ion batteries. In fact, China has already started experimenting with these in their EVs that are on sale like Hina Battery in Sehol E10X compact EV. BYD and CATL are about to join the fray soon. For other markets and carmakers where affordability is not the issue and performance takes the front seat, Lithium-Ion batteries will continue. With the amount of R&D going into battery development in various parts of the world, there might be better alternatives or favourable modifications to Lithium-Ion batteries too.

Here’s Why You Won’t Get Full EV Tax Credit in 2023 in the USA

12 Comments / Featured / By LEC Team

The updated EV tax credit scheme has made the entire process rather complex. Earlier, if the company of the EV or PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle) that you purchased had sold less than 200,000 EVs or PHEVs, you would have received the full $7,500 tax credit on the qualifying EVs. But now, there are many layers including income caps, price caps on eligible EVs, location of manufacturing of EV (US or outside) and source of battery components (US or outside). You won’t get the full amount if all of these criteria are not fulfilled. You might also like: Top 5 Mini EVs in 2023 – Future of Urban Mobility? Additionally, the amount of tax credit that you are eligible to get until the end of 2023 can be availed of at the time of filing the ITR (Income Tax Returns). But starting 2024, you will be able to apply the amount directly at the time of purchasing the EV, reducing the initial cost straightaway. This will allow car buyers to take lower credit through financial institutions, a great pull for a lot of new EV buyers. Under this act, the term used to describe EVs is “Clean Vehicles”. This means that EVs, PHEVs as well as Hydrogen cars will be eligible for the tax rebate/credit. This act will continue until 2032. You might also like: Electrify America Leads Non-Tesla DC Fast Charging Network with 800 Stations EV Tax Credit Depends on Many Factors You might also like: Factors on Which Energy Consumption of an EV Depends In conclusion, this new regulation will even allow the EV to re-attain the eligibility for the tax rebate who has previously lost it on account of the aforementioned rule where a 200,000 vehicle limit for a carmaker was applied. These companies were Tesla, GM and Toyota. Going forward, EVs from these three auto giants will also become eligible for the tax benefit yet again.

Electric Car Batteries Swapped or Replaced

Can Electric Car Batteries Be Replaced or Swapped?

14 Comments / Battery / By LEC Team

With the EV trend becoming a reality, it becomes critical to know the basics of maintenance related to your electric cars. Is it possible for the electric car batteries to be replaced or swapped? Since the adoption rate of electric cars is still minuscule compared to their internal combustion engine-powered counterparts, there are myriad queries related to them. The batteries, charging characteristics, and range anxiety continue to pose hurdles in the mass adoption of EVs. While the benefits of shifting to EVs might be quite understandable and logical, the actual implementation is enveloped in quandary and uncertainty. The aim of this article is to dispel some myths surrounding electric car batteries. You might also like: Tesla Battery (4680) vs BYD Blade Battery – Comparison Can The Electric Car Batteries Be Swapped or Replaced? Let us try to understand this by using a familiar analogy. In the case of traditional vehicles, the engines and their components are fixed, while the fuel is needed to be filled regularly. Similarly, the electric motors on the electric cars are fixed, but the batteries that feed power to those motors could be removed or swapped, if need be, Generally, the batteries are placed underneath the floor of the vehicle and charged on a regular basis just like your smartphones, tablets or laptops. However, with the limited charging infrastructure available in most countries and high charging times associated with EVs, people always have this range anxiety about what would happen if their EVs run out of charge on a highway. But there is a solution that might not be widespread in the personal mobility space. In the commercial electric vehicle fleet across various markets, there is the practice of swapping the batteries of the car. You might also like: Is Electric Car Battery Safe, Fireproof, Waterproof and Short Circuit Proof? How Is It Achieved? The delivery companies, for instance, have huge warehouses where the entire fleet of their delivery vehicles is parked. There is sufficient charging infrastructure there too where the vehicles could even be charged using the regular AC chargers overnight. There is a provision for removing batteries from electric vehicles, especially commercial vans. The battery that has been charged overnight is used in the morning. It could suffice the entire day while the other battery is being charged in the meanwhile. You might also like: What Is Vehicle To Load (V2L) & Which EVs Have This Feature? If there is an issue with the battery that is being operated or it runs out of juice, one could simply visit the warehouse and swap the discharged battery for a recharged one in a matter of minutes. The battery packs are compact and could be easily placed in their designated slot in the EV. The battery that is taken out could directly be taken to the charging station and the refuelling time (essentially) be reduced to the time taken to replace the two batteries. This would ensure that the operations are not halted because of charging times and productivity will enhance due to the element of predictability that is achieved by this method. Slowly and steadily, with the prices of batteries coming down in the future, this solution could be utilised for personal use too. This technique is being practised even today by big companies that use electric vehicles for commercial purposes.

Is Electric Car Battery Safe, Fireproof, Waterproof and Short Circuit Proof?

15 Comments / Battery / By LEC Team

The electric car battery is the most crucial component of any EV and hence, its safe, fireproof, waterproof and short circuit proof nature needs to be ascertained. How safe, fireproof, waterproof and short circuit proof is the battery of your electric car? Well, it is a pressing issue that a ton of potential electric car buyers struggle with. And it is a valid concern too. With the immediate future of mobility belonging to electric cars alone, one must be aware of the strength and behaviour of batteries to establish a smooth ownership experience of an electric car. Is Your Electric Car Battery Safe, Fireproof, Waterproof and Short Circuit Proof? While the battery technology in automobiles may be new, the R&D by the giant automakers regarding every single aspect of a vehicle is not. Hence, they have taken into consideration all the aspects of battery usage. This includes rigorous and thorough testing under all weather conditions, across various terrains, in different driving and traffic conditions, in battery charging scenarios, etc. While designing the battery, the strength is taken into account. The placement of the battery is also done in such a way that during unfortunate incidents, it doesn’t get destroyed hurting the passengers. There is an imminent danger of a short circuit since a battery is nothing but a group of cells placed together. But there are fireproof materials placed between the cells to prevent that from happening. Also, the battery pack is concealed in a fireproof and waterproof cover/module. On the outside where the charging socket of a car is located, the charging doesn’t begin until a few internal tests have been done to ensure that no water, moisture or dirt is detected in the socket or the charger. Once it is established that everything is in order, the charging of a car commences. Such basic procedure has been followed extensively by all carmakers. Nail Penetration Test The nail penetration test is done to stimulate an internal short circuit in the battery of an electric vehicle. It measures the temperature rise within the battery when a nail is penetrated through the battery surface, simulating damage in the event of deformation due to a crash. Batteries that pass that test prove that even in case of emergencies, the battery will not explode. Just like the safety ratings of a regular car, this test is the benchmark to rate the safety of the battery pack of an EV. With time, more such tests will become standardised to ensure homologation and road legality. With the constant advancement and research in battery technology, things are only bound to improve further. As a matter of fact, there are plenty of new materials, techniques, and processes that would come up as every automaker shifts toward electrification. Then we would witness even more modern solutions to battery-related issues. So, to answer the question, the batteries in EVs ARE waterproof, fireproof, short circuit proof and safe.

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