Australian researchers claim a major breakthrough in extending the range of electric vehicles with a significant improvement in the design of lithium-ion batteries.
A team from the University of Wollongong in New South Wales reports it has developed a new germanium-based material with five times more energy storage and the potential to go at least twice as far on a charge than current EVs.
Nano-engineer Zaiping Guo notes that presently, after 10 hours of charging, the ’13 Holden Volt can travel only 54 miles (87 km).
“The novel anode materials are very simple to synthesize and cost-effective,” Guo says in a statement. “They can be fabricated in large scale by industry (and) therefore have great commercial potential.”
Guo says while the current price of germanium is still high compared to other candidate materials, mass production may reduce the cost.
She says independent tests show significant reduction in charging time for the germanium-based batteries, which she notes could also be used for consumer electronics, such as mobile phones and laptops, as well as grid-scale energy storage.
“We’re truly excited about this breakthrough and are looking forward to transitioning this technology to the commercial marketplace,” she says.
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