As you say, "The sodium-ion batteries have a weakness. The low energy density (max 160-165 Wh/kg) limits its broader EV potential."
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are already greatly disadvantaged with low energy density compared to gas and diesel. Sodium-ion instead of lithium,-ion would be even worse - not a chance they would ever be commercially viable.
I'm getting 2 different figures; don't know which is correct, but obviously either number makes my point:
"Stored energy in fuel is considerable: gasoline is the champion at 47.5 MJ/kg and 34.6 MJ/liter; the gasoline in a fully fueled car has the same energy content as a thousand sticks of dynamite. A lithium-ion battery pack has about 0.3 MJ/kg and about 0.4 MJ/liter (Chevy VOLT)"
That's an incredible 158 times as much energy density in gasoline.
"gasoline exhibits an energy density of 12,700 Wh/kg, which is approximately 63 times greater than that of a Li-ion battery".
So gas is somewhere between 63 and 158 as energy dense! No wonder an EV battery has to be about half the weight and half the cost of an EV! And even at that, range is still a primary concern.
Thanks, Al, for your insights and apologies for the delayed response.
What’s particularly interesting in light of your comments is that CATL has just unveiled a new sodium-ion battery with an energy density of 175 Wh/kg (not bad at all). It’s now approaching the performance of LFP cells.
According to CATL, this new battery could enable a range of up to 500 km, and they even anticipate that sodium-ion could eventually account for up to 50% of their LFP business.
Yes, I'm interested in how the research is developing with sodium-ion - as I understand it, sodium is plentiful and not so destructive to the environment as the horrible practices with lithium mining.
As you say, "The sodium-ion batteries have a weakness. The low energy density (max 160-165 Wh/kg) limits its broader EV potential."
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are already greatly disadvantaged with low energy density compared to gas and diesel. Sodium-ion instead of lithium,-ion would be even worse - not a chance they would ever be commercially viable.
I'm getting 2 different figures; don't know which is correct, but obviously either number makes my point:
"Stored energy in fuel is considerable: gasoline is the champion at 47.5 MJ/kg and 34.6 MJ/liter; the gasoline in a fully fueled car has the same energy content as a thousand sticks of dynamite. A lithium-ion battery pack has about 0.3 MJ/kg and about 0.4 MJ/liter (Chevy VOLT)"
That's an incredible 158 times as much energy density in gasoline.
"gasoline exhibits an energy density of 12,700 Wh/kg, which is approximately 63 times greater than that of a Li-ion battery".
So gas is somewhere between 63 and 158 as energy dense! No wonder an EV battery has to be about half the weight and half the cost of an EV! And even at that, range is still a primary concern.
Thanks, Al, for your insights and apologies for the delayed response.
What’s particularly interesting in light of your comments is that CATL has just unveiled a new sodium-ion battery with an energy density of 175 Wh/kg (not bad at all). It’s now approaching the performance of LFP cells.
According to CATL, this new battery could enable a range of up to 500 km, and they even anticipate that sodium-ion could eventually account for up to 50% of their LFP business.
Yes, I'm interested in how the research is developing with sodium-ion - as I understand it, sodium is plentiful and not so destructive to the environment as the horrible practices with lithium mining.