We were wondering will fast charging EV batteries last as long as their vehicles when Design News pricked our bubble. Not a chance, says their Charles Murray. ”Fast-charging and nickel-rich chemistries will accelerate degradation of future EV batteries,” he insists. Moreover he quotes Asad Farad of Berenberg Bank to back him up.
So Will Fast Charging Batteries Spell the End of Electric Cars
We don’t think so, because we believe people will be willing to pay more as climate change affects them personally. Furthermore, we expect the amount of personal driving will come down, as work-from-home spreads and we use ride- and car-sharing.
We think the question ‘will fast charging batteries degrade their life’ is a statement of the obvious. If we must have fast-charging and nickel-rich chemistries, then these will come at a cost. As Asad Farad said at the Battery Show, “We think the battery degradation rate in your electric car will increase”. As opposed to decreasing going forward.
Car Sharing Boom in China
The Three Main Reasons for Shorter EV Battery Life
When Design News asked Asad Farad why will fast charging do this he advanced three reasons. In the first place, nickel-rich chemistries have shown a shorter life than China’s lithium-ion phosphate cells. It’s a matter of choosing a greater driving range.
Furthermore, faster charging generates more heat that leads to more rapid decomposition of a battery’s anode and cathode. Again, the chemistry is merely responding to our desire for faster gratification. And finally, the passive air cooling this necessitates increases the degradation rate further.
It can be said that humans in the West are their own worst enemies. Our industrial revolution started global warming, and it’s still an open question whether we will ever stop it. Furthermore, shorter battery life presumably means more manufacturing. Some call this green energy. There are days when we are more inclined to say “Bah Humbug.” Do you agree?
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