Category: batteries

This super strength body battery is made with discarded Kevlar

[ad_1] “No other structural battery reported is comparable, in terms of energy density, to today’s state-of-the-art advanced lithium batteries. We improved our prior version of structural zinc batteries on 10 different measures, some of which are 100 times better, to make it happen,” he continued. In a study published Wednesday in the journal Science Robotics […]

Chrome will start blocking resource-demanding ads in August

[ad_1] Google has discovered that a small percentage of ads (0.3 percent) are using a disproportionate amount (27 percent) of the network data used by ads in Chrome. These resource-demanding ads can drain battery life, saturate already strained networks and cost money, Google wrote in a blog post. So beginning this summer, Google will cap […]

Toyota and Panasonic will start producing EV batteries in April

[ad_1] As expected, Toyota is the majority owner of the company with a 51 percent stake. The two also confirmed that Prime Planet Energy would make batteries for both Toyota as well as a variety of other automakers. Moving forward, they plan to develop new types of power cells as well. “Batteries — as solutions […]

IBM’s cobalt-free EV battery uses materials extracted from seawater

[ad_1] According to IBM, the new design could outperform current lithium-ion batteries in cost, charging time (less than five minutes to reach an 80 percent charge), power density and energy efficiency. The battery is also less flammable, and it could be used in aircraft and smart energy grids, as well as electric cars and trucks. […]

BMW spends billions to secure batteries and drivetrains for its EVs

[ad_1] You may not have heard of CATL, but the Chinese company is the world’s third-largest supplier of EV batteries and also supplies electronics producers such as Panasonic and e-bike manufacturers like BYD. BMW Group will increase its order from CATL from four billion euros ($4.43 billion) announced last year to 7.3 billion euros ($8.09 […]

Volvo will use blockchain to prove its cobalt wasn’t mined by children

[ad_1] Volvo Cars will work with its two global battery suppliers, CATL of China and LG Chem of South Korea, and blockchain technology firms to trace its cobalt production. The data in the blockchain will include the cobalt’s origin, attributes like weight and size, as well as the chain of custody. “We have always been […]

A new coating could be the key to lighter lithium metal batteries

[ad_1] The problem with lithium metal batteries is that they frequently develop small, tendril-like protrusions called dendrites. Over time, dendrites can puncture the protective film that separates the positive and negative ends of the battery. And when the two sides start interacting with one another, there’s the potential for a short circuit, which in turn […]

OtterBox reveals a portable and stackable wireless charging system

[ad_1] The base charging system starts at $129.95 and includes one wireless battery. Additional batteries and charging bases cost $69.95. OtterBox is also offering a Wireless Charging Pad, $49.95, and a Charging Stand, $59.95. The charging devices will work with Qi-enabled phones like the iPhone XS, Samsung Galaxy S10, Google Pixel 3 and others. These […]

Rivian will repurpose used EV batteries for solar power in Puerto Rico

[ad_1] Rivian will use the 135kw packs from its development vehicles as second-life batteries in Adjuntas, a city that was severely impacted by Hurricane Maria in 2017. In the event of future power outages, the microgrid will provide electricity to core businesses. At other times, the system will offset day-to-day electricity bills. The project is […]

Researchers suggest 100 percent renewable energy isn’t very green

[ad_1] The situation is especially urgent for the EV and battery industries, according to the researchers from the Institute for Sustainable Futures. Those industries are the main drivers of demand for cobalt, with each EV requiring between five to 10 kilograms of the metal for its lithium-ion batteries. As much as 60 percent of cobalt […]