I agree with the direction this thread is going. For, if using battery power in a vehicle, I'd be worried about usable range and replacement cost as well.
Hunter
Charter Member
I agree with the direction this thread is going. For, if using battery power in a vehicle, I'd be worried about usable range and replacement cost as well.
Hunter
I don't care if it hurts. I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. - Creep by Radiohead
Charter Member
My son has his eye on buying a new Model 3 Tesla. I went with him testing one and was very impressed. That long range version we drove with the sport package was very peppy. The top Tesla sedan with the “Plaid” package is as fast or faster in acceleration as any of the super cars. I would love to own one of the new EV SUV’s and have that on my bucket list. Charging remains the big problem next to the cost. One issue often overlooked is housing the thing, which caution calls for providing outside the home as infrequent spontaneous fires in the garage are an unwelcome possibility still, and fires in these battery sets are virtually inextinguishable. I test drove a Chevy Bolt a few years ago and was also impressed with that small EV. Last year they recalled all of them because of the growing experience of the things suddenly catching fire in a raging inferno.
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“You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution
Registered Member
The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke
Charter Member
The present day and foreseeable future of battery packs is based upon lithium little of which is produced in the U.S. The price of lithium is going up now.
https://www.westernjournal.com/bad-n...-rare-mineral/
The Chinese Communists now produce ~80% of the battery packs produced. Put 2 & 2 together.
https://www.instituteforenergyresear...attery-market/
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“You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution
Registered Member
Here's an interesting story about Tesla battery replacement and the options owners have.
https://electrek.co/2021/12/23/tesla...y-replacement/
OPINION....a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.
Charter Member
Try driving it on a road trip for 9 hours...Originally Posted by wacojoe
My son has his eye on buying a new Model 3 Tesla. I went with him testing one and was very impressed. That long range version we drove with the sport package was very peppy. The top Tesla sedan with the “Plaid” package is as fast or faster in acceleration as any of the super cars. I would love to own one of the new EV SUV’s and have that on my bucket list. Charging remains the big problem next to the cost. One issue often overlooked is housing the thing, which caution calls for providing outside the home as infrequent spontaneous fires in the garage are an unwelcome possibility still, and fires in these battery sets are virtually inextinguishable. I test drove a Chevy Bolt a few years ago and was also impressed with that small EV. Last year they recalled all of them because of the growing experience of the things suddenly catching fire in a raging inferno.
Large Lithium deposit in Nevada
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/batteri...ium-gold-rush/
"The only thing that we learn from torture is the depths of our own moral depravity"
Charter Member
First, let me make something perfectly clear----the US is behind the curve of EV battery technology----period.
In addition, the pro and con argument of EV is a mute point---it is going to happen, agree or disagree is immaterial.
Now, that said---the US production of Li is now at 5% based on the most recent numbers that I have seen. By far the majority is currently being mined in Chile and Australia.
Mining and processing ore to extract Li is not the only route to independence regarding the production of EV batteries. One thing (and mentioned in Eric's link) is full cycle---ie recovery of Li from depleted batteries. That process is mature in lead acid batteries:
I have seen other numbers that are lower but still 90% plus. Li needs to reach that same level, and based on cost there is every reason to believe that will be the case.The U.S. Battery Council International (BCI), Chicago, and Essential Energy Everyday have released a study showing lead batteries have a recycling rate of 99.3 percent, making them the No. 1 recycled consumer product in the U.S.
Secondly, the amount of Li in these batteries continues to lessen with new technology---which has changed significantly just in the lifetime of Tesla.
Thirdly, Li is not the only game in town and alternative materials are being pursued--and will find success.
On the manufacturing side, there is huge capital investment now being made (with Ford at the forefront) in production of EV battery manufacturing in the US.
Again, I am not denying or minimizing the roll of Li---but it needs to be kept in prospective.
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
"Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis
Registered Member
But Dave, there is a Much Better Way of dealing with battery problems. It's a lot more fun, too!
The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke
Charter Member
I saw that last night-----I thought it a very cleaver statement---maybe not environmentally appropriate but still cleaver
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
"Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis
Charter Member
Scientist claim they have invented a method to reactivate “dead” lithium clusters and thus prolong the battery’s life —
https://newatlas.com/energy/charging...city-lifespan/
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“You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution
Charter Member
So, "tweaking" the Lithium works.
Hunter
I don't care if it hurts. I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. - Creep by Radiohead
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