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    EV Battery

    Sodium Ion Battery - Representational Image

    Does the Future of EVs Rest on Sodium Ion Batteries?

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    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.

    EV Tax Credit Laws USA

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

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    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?

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    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. 

    EV Battery Fireproof

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

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    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.