In the Licht group's latest study, the molten air battery operating temperature has been lowered to 600 degrees Celsius or less. "A high-temperature battery is unusual for a vehicle, but we know it has feasibility," Licht said.
Could a new technology help EVs withstand a battery fire?
University of Maryland researchers studying how lithium batteries fail have developed a new technology that could enable next-generation electric vehicles (EVs) and other devices that are less prone to battery fires while increasing energy storage.
LG Chem says the new material completely prevented lithium EV battery fires in testing, and helped extinguish nickel battery fires, too.
Are new battery technologies reinventing the wheel?
But new battery technologies are being researched and developed to rival lithium-ion batteries in terms of efficiency, cost and sustainability. Many of these new battery technologies aren't necessarily reinventing the wheel when it comes to powering devices or storing energy.
Are lithium-ion batteries the future of battery technology?
Because lithium-ion batteries are able to store a significant amount of energy in such a small package, charge quickly and last long, they became the battery of choice for new devices. But new battery technologies are being researched and developed to rival lithium-ion batteries in terms of efficiency, cost and sustainability.
The biggest concerns — and major motivation for researchers and startups to focus on new battery technologies — are related to safety, specifically fire risk, and the sustainability of the materials used in the production of lithium-ion batteries, namely cobalt, nickel and magnesium.
Then there might be improved lithium-ion batteries, maybe using silicon anodes or rocksalt cathodes, for mid-range vehicles, or perhaps solid-state lithium batteries will take over that class. Then there might be LiS or even lithium–air cells for high-end cars — or flying taxis. But there's a lot of work yet to be done.