But cheaper prices are not everything, manufacturing is simplified and safety is improved. A Japanese developer who focuses on battery research has come up with a new type of battery that could revolutionise the industry.
Hideaki Horie, who has been working on battery technology since 1990 and led the development of Nissan’s Leaf electric car, discovered how to replace the basic components of batteries to speed up and simplify the manufacturing process.
“The main problem with manufacturing lithium batteries is that we are making devices, like semiconductors,” Horie told The Japan Times. “Our goal is to make the process more like steel production.”
The production of new batteries can be greatly simplified by replacing the metal electrodes and liquid electrolytes normally found in lithium-ion batteries with a resin-based solution. According to Horie, the new method used by Tokyo-based APB Corp. is “simple as buttered toast”.
Lithium-ion batteries are used in almost everything from smartphones to electric cars to airplanes, with Sony first introducing the first units to the market nearly three decades ago. Their functionality and uses have evolved since then, the technology has come a long way and in 2019 the three scientists who developed them won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. According to Nobel committee member Sara Snogerup Linse, lithium-ion batteries have enabled a “technological revolution”.
The next big commercial market for the technology lies in the future of electric aircraft, although the current energy density of lithium-ion batteries is approximately 2 per cent compared to kerosene jet fuel. In any case, larger electric passenger aircraft are already in development, with low-cost airline EasyJet, for example, recently entering into a partnership with electric aircraft start-up Wright Electric, where a prototype is already under construction. One of the key issues with high-performance lithium-ion batteries is safety, as they have caused a number of fires in Samsung smartphones and Tesla crashes in recent years.
“With so many events, security is the most important thing in the industry,” said Mitalee Gupta, senior analyst, energy storage, Wood Mackenzie. “APB’s battery could be a breakthrough in both energy storage and electric vehicle applications, provided the company can grow fast enough.” Earlier this year, APB received an 8 billion yen investment to build a factory for mass production, which could start next year.
Forrás: Japantimes
Recent article
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
What Role Will Public Perception and Community Engagement Play in the Adoption of Urban Air Mobility ?
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Stratolaunch’s hypersonic vehicle launched for the first time
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
How are emerging technologies like blockchain and IoT being leveraged to enhance the safety, efficiency, and user experience of urban air mobility services ?
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Centuries-old technology could revolutionise aviation
Air taxi News & Articles
Economic Viability: Are Flying Cars and eVTOLs Economically Viable for Mass Adoption ?
Electric airplane News & Articles
The Environmental Impact of Electric Planes: Are They Truly the Greener Alternative ?
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
How Airbus’ CityAirbus NextGen Aims to Revolutionize Urban Mobility ?
Flying Cars News & Articles
Alef’s flying car preparing for take-off
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Beyond the Prototype: The Economic Viability of Electric Aircraft
News & Articles Points of interest
Achieving Market Dominance in the eVTOL and Flying Car Industry
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Enhancing Emergency Response with eVTOL Technology
News & Articles Points of interest
The first large-scale rocket backpack competition was organised
Drones News & Articles
Red Bull has created the world’s fastest drone
Flying Cars News & Articles
Alef Aeronautics’ Model A could be in production in 2025
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
CycloTech Raises 20 Million Euros for Revolutionary Aviation Propulsion System
Flying Cars News & Articles
The Switchblade Flying Car: A Milestone in Personal Air Travel Featured in Pioneering Publication
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
What are/will be the impacts of Evtol and flying cars on infrastructure ?
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Unveiling the Energy Dynamics of eVTOLs
Flying Cars News & Articles
Evolving Skies: The Surge in eVTOL and Flying Car Production
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
What are the requirements for building a vertiport ?
Drones News & Articles
The role and future of military drones in wars
Flying Cars News & Articles
What are the safety concerns about flying cars and Evtol ?
Flying Cars News & Articles
What percentage of people may use flying cars and Evtols in the future ?
Flying Cars News & Articles
How Will Flying Car Technology Evolve in the Next Decade ?
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Satellite Communications in the Age of eVTOLs
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
eVTOLs: Revolutionizing Urban Mobility with Electric Propulsion
Drones News & Articles
A drone airliner lands at Abu Dhabi airport
Air taxi News & Articles
The cost of China’s Ehang unmanned air taxi revealed
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
The Role of Electric Motors in eVTOL Efficiency and Feasibility
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Evtols and the current state of self-direction
Air taxi News & Articles
Autonomous air mobility with EHang
Flying Cars News & Articles
New jobs in the eVTOL and flying car era
Air taxi News & Articles
The Future of Air Traffic Management in Urban Air Mobility
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
FAA’s Path to eVTOL Certification
Drones News & Articles
WaveAerospace’s hybrid-electric Huntress turbojet unveiled
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Skyfly and AeroVolt: air mobility in the UK
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Environmental impacts of electric flight
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
The Role of Funding in eVTOL Development
Additional aircraft News & Articles
The Sirius, a trailblazing hydrogen-fueled eVTOL
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
From Concept to Reality: The Emerging eVTOL Landscape
More articles you may be interested in...
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
CycloTech Raises 20 Million Euros for Revolutionary Aviation Propulsion System
Flying Cars News & Articles
The Switchblade Flying Car: A Milestone in Personal Air Travel Featured in Pioneering Publication
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
What are/will be the impacts of Evtol and flying cars on infrastructure ?
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Unveiling the Energy Dynamics of eVTOLs
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Evtols and the current state of self-direction
The current state of self-direction, or autonomous navigation, in eVTOLs is a fascinating convergence of.......... READ MORE
Air taxi News & Articles
Autonomous air mobility with EHang
In an era marked by rapid technological advances, the concept of urban mobility is undergoing.......... READ MORE
Flying Cars News & Articles
New jobs in the eVTOL and flying car era
As the eVTOL (electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing) and flying car industry edges closer from.......... READ MORE
Air taxi News & Articles
The Future of Air Traffic Management in Urban Air Mobility
The integration of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) into existing air traffic management (ATM) systems poses.......... READ MORE
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
FAA’s Path to eVTOL Certification
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is leading the way in developing certification standards for electric.......... READ MORE
Drones News & Articles
WaveAerospace’s hybrid-electric Huntress turbojet unveiled
In an era where technology and innovation intersect to redefine boundaries, WaveAerospace stands at the.......... READ MORE
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Skyfly and AeroVolt: air mobility in the UK
In a significant leap towards sustainable regional air travel, Skyfly and AeroVolt have announced a.......... READ MORE
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Environmental impacts of electric flight
The aviation industry stands at the brink of a transformation, with electric vertical takeoff and.......... READ MORE