In new batteries, GM wants to store four times as much electricity as before, with the same volume. This enables ranges of 1000 kilometers without the car having to lug around a gigantic battery pack.
The success of a car today depends on two factors, one is electronics and connectivity. The other is the range. General Motors has now announced that it will build a battery with a range of 1000 kilometers. Not only should more and more well-known battery packs be installed in a vehicle, the range should come about through a better power-to-weight ratio. GM announces up to 1200 watt hours per liter of volume. Then the 77 kWh package of the VW ID4 would only take up around 65 liters of volume – that corresponds to a larger trekking backpack. The energy density is currently below 300 watt hours per liter. Batteries for 1,000 kilometers would fit in two backpacks. Ultimately, the battery would only be around 50 liters larger than a corresponding diesel tank.
The automaker wants the new pilot “to be one of the first in North America to use large-format prototype cells that are up to three feet wide or even wider,” said GM’s Vice President Ken Morris. “And that means you can easily build a vehicle with a range of 500 or 600 miles on a single charge, which creates a new reality for our customers.”
Low volume
“With these high energy density, low cost vehicles, we really believe that we can have a better package that is less bulk, better for the vehicle and better for the customer, and that we can get through the new Innovation Center as soon as possible into reality, “says Morris. The new innovation center only does research, but there is no production for the end customer. However, pilot assembly lines will be set up to develop different production methods.
Car Battery Dilemma
When it comes to batteries, the automotive industry is facing the most demanding task. The batteries not only have to be powerful and durable, they also have to perform functions that are unimportant in a household battery in combination with solar cells. This includes a very high power output, the ability to charge very quickly and the lowest possible weight and volume. In addition, the battery must be protected from damage in the event of an accident. And the question of costs is also crucial. A battery of 80 kWh generates a range of around 400 to 500 kilometers, which is still not enough for many drivers. In a single-family household, the sensible size of a battery is often reached at 15 kWh.
The high energy density would actually be a novelty. There is already a range of 1000 kilometers. The ET7 from the Chinese manufacturer Nio achieves this value with a solid-state battery of 150 kWh. It achieves an energy density of 360 watt hours per liter. Currently a record.
Bolts in Flammen
General Motors’ announcement was made against a difficult background. After several Chevy Bolt fires, GM and the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have urged owners of a bolt not to charge their vehicles unattended. The driver must now stand next to the vehicle during the entire charging process. The vehicles should only be parked outdoors, and on top of that, a distance of 50 feet to the next vehicle should be maintained. A Chevy Bolt now needs a “parking space” about 35 meters long.
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