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from the coming-soon-to-a-vehicle-near-you dept.
An electric car has been tested that managed a huge 1,100 mile range on a single charge. A massive jump from current electric cars.
-- submitted from IRC
An electric car has been tested that managed a huge 1,100 mile range on a single charge. A massive jump from current electric cars like the Tesla Model S which tops out at around 300 miles.
The secret to this super range is a type of battery technology called aluminium-air. This uses oxygen naturally occurring in the air to fill its cathode. This makes it far lighter than liquid filled lithium-ion batteries to give car a far greater range.
Phinergy, who created the battery, is an Israeli company who worked with aluminium specialist Alcoa Canada to create the batteries.
[...] Aluminium-air batteries drain turning the metal into aluminium hydroxide which can then be recycled to make new batteries. That will mean swapping out batteries every few months. But since it's so much lighter and cheaper than current efforts it should offer huge mileage and be affordable.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 11 2015, @02:37PM
maybe install 100 automated battery swap locations around the country
That would be 'good start'. But not nearly enough by a factor of at least 500x (even that may be too small). A typical long haul guy can crack off 600-800 in 1 shift. Swapping with another dude to finish the shift. Some trucks never stop rolling.
people can't stay awake forever so autonomous driving would be a good solution
A separate problem dont mash the two together.
Instead of swapping the battery it may be simpler to just swap the whole cab. With pre charged cabs ready to go. Then let the 'dead head' cab sit and charge. This could be better if the cost can be reduced (which getting rid of things like those crazy transmissions would do). Most cabs start around 250k. Get that cost down and swapping makes more sense.