Tesla’s research division has published material about a battery with a special design. Engineers said that this battery will be able to last for 100 years, reports Electrek.
Tesla, whose CEO is billionaire Elon Musk, has attracted a leading expert in the field of battery technology Jeff Dan, who specializes in lithium-ion batteries and is a pioneer in this field. Dan works at Dalhousie University (Halifax, Canada), under which Tesla has created the Advanced Battery Research Unit.
“Dan is said to be the one who ensured the commercial success of lithium-ion batteries after he managed to increase their lifecycle,” the media reports.
Now that batteries of this type are enjoying great success and are the backbone of electric transportation, Dan is again working to improve their energy density and longevity.
Energy density is an important metric for electric vehicles because it determines range. A battery with a lower energy density must be large enough for the car to cover a given distance. Conversely, a battery with a higher energy density will take up less space. It is worth noting that fossil fuels, such as gasoline, have a high energy density and batteries cannot match them. However, the impact of fossil fuels on the climate is too negative, so many scientists and engineers are working to improve batteries.
According to a report by Electrek, Dan has already filed several patents. In his scientific paper published in the Journal of The Electrochemical Society, he described a new type of battery cell that is far superior to the cells used in lithium-ion devices.
The chemical composition of the new type of battery includes nickel, which provides high energy density, which, in turn, can provide a higher range for electric cars. Interestingly, these batteries last longer than their lithium-ion counterparts when charged/discharged under various temperature conditions. Hypothetically, if a battery is constantly used at 25 degrees Celsius, it could last more than 100 years, the article notes.
Nickel batteries with cobalt have been used before, but they have not shown to be as effective as Dana’s latest development, which can perform equally well with little or even no cobalt in its composition.
“Not surprisingly, Tesla recently decided to extend its partnership with Dana’s group through 2026. We’re sure to see Tesla achieve high power reserve figures in the future,” the media sums up.