As time goes by, people get more used to convenience and ease, which is all because of technology.
Therefore, when it comes to traveling, people desire to be as much carefree as possible.
They also wish to have an environmental-friendly and safe traveling option. And cars are today the fundamental and significant need and no longer a luxury. Therefore, to fulfill all the commuting needs of people and make it swift for people to use cars and travel, automotive players introduced electric vehicles.
And, people are now focusing more on what improvements to make in their electric cars. So, let’s dive into it! The talk of the hour is which battery is best for vehicles and which battery is more durable and environment-friendly.
Passionate about cars? Enjoy stunning cars images every time you open a new tab.
Install Top Speed HD Theme for Google Chrome
What are lithium-ion batteries?
Lithium-ion or Li-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries that are primarily used for electric vehicles nowadays. Following the technological advancement in this era, we now have automakers making electric vehicles to make everything feasible for people.
Military forces across the world are using Li-ion batteries for various purposes.
The first-ever design of Li-ion batteries came into being in 1985, and then later in the year 1991. Thus, for the very first time, the li-ion battery was developed and introduced for commercial purposes.
These batteries can be hazardous to the environment as when misused; they can explode. Therefore, there is always a threat to people’s lives and the environment while using these lithium-ion batteries. And, so people are now looking for apt alternates to Li-ion batteries to eradicate the risk factor.
But, before we get to the alternative options to lithium-ion batteries, let’s read about its pros and cons.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using lithium-ion batteries?
Advantages
- High energy density – these batteries do not require to get recharged again and again. Hence, these batteries would run much longer when used in cars, and you won’t need to recharge these every now and then. It is one of the sole reasons Li-ion batteries are popular and in so much use.
- Self-discharge – these batteries have a much lower self-discharge rate than other batteries, which is one of the most common issues people face while using other batteries.
- Low maintenance – a significant quality of these batteries is that these Li-ion batteries do not require much maintenance time and again.
Disadvantages
- High cost – Li-ion batteries cost way too much than some other batteries available in the market. They have a 40% higher cost rate.
- Aging – the most significant drawback of lithium-ion batteries is that it undergoes aging quite often. If you use an electric car, you need to pay heed to its battery life because you will frequently change your li-ion battery. Mainly, lithium-ion batteries age even when these batteries are not even in use. Thus, you’ve got to be efficient while using these batteries.
- Safety threat – Li-ion battery needs much more care while in use. It can be a huge safety hazard if not handled appropriately and charged too much. It can be dangerous if you overcharge the li-ion battery or when its temperature is too high. It can consequently explode the battery, which can destroy the environment as well as put anyone’s life at stake.
One of the incidents where we saw this happening in the recent past was when some users filed complaints against the Samsung galaxy note 7. Samsung created the galaxy note seven by using li-ion batteries, which exploded while some people were using these mobiles.
There is a massive risk of using this battery in electric cars, possibly threatening multiple lives. Although these batteries offer some great ease and improvements than other resources, everything has its advantages and disadvantages, and so these lithium-ion batteries should be replaced soon to avoid any further danger to our environment and our lives.
Alternatives to lithium-ion batteries in cars
- Hydrogen fuel cells – this is an efficient option to go for.
- Lithium-Sulfur batteries can be the most outstanding replacement for Li-ion batteries due to their much higher energy density and much affordable cost.
- Redox flow batteries – you can opt for this battery as a safer option, but this has a much lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries.
- Zinc-ion batteries are one of the most competitive and suitable alternates for li-ion batteries, especially if you are concerned about safety.
These are some of the alternatives people which you can use instead of lithium-ion batteries in electric cars. Some of these are very effective and useful, whereas some are not suitable for an electric car. However, technology is hitting a higher level every day, and we can expect some commendable alternatives for lithium-ion batteries in the near future.
Comments are closed.