• EisFrei@lemmy.world
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    16 days ago

    They indeed have less energy density, but I don’t get your point about less safety.

    They work better in high and low temperatures, can be charged a lot faster and don’t degrade as fast. Sodium isn’t as reactive as Lithium, lowering the risk of fires.

    • SolarMonkey@slrpnk.net
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      16 days ago

      My point is that if they have less energy density, they aren’t a particularity great choice for EVs, as the increased battery size to get the same capacity makes the whole thing much heavier, requiring even more battery to move it.

      I guess for like short range vehicles, it might be fine, but at least around here, thats gunna be a pretty tough sell, because everything is spread out.

      It can’t really make EVs safer if its not being used for them due to the drawbacks, is all.

      • nucleative@lemmy.world
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        16 days ago

        ICE engines use a bunch of physical space for accessory components related to the engine. Li-ion powered e-cars reclaimed a ton of that space (i.e. Tesla has a frunk)

        Perhaps next using a bit more space for a less dense sodium battery in exchange for a vehicle that is 0% explodable is a worthy trade (if claims are true).

        • encelado748@feddit.org
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          16 days ago

          Battery density is energy per kilos. The problem is not only were to put the battery, but also the added weight.

          • EisFrei@lemmy.world
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            16 days ago

            Leave the weight as is, accept lower range which is offset by faster charging speeds. Or just buy a car with a lithium battery if you cannot accept this.

            • Kushan@lemmy.world
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              16 days ago

              We have faster charging speeds with lithium today, 800v cars that can charge at 300KW+ have been on the market for half a decade, BYD has launched cars that can charge at 2-3x that speed. The charging infrastructure is the bottleneck there, even if all new cars could charge at those speeds it wouldn’t mean much because hardly any chargers can support it.

              Besides it’s almost moot, most EV owners aren’t charging via fast chargers like you would fill up an ICE car, they’re charging at home at much cheaper rates and only using fast chargers for particularly long trips.

            • encelado748@feddit.org
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              16 days ago

              Same compromise I made when I bought the base range version of my car with LFP chemistry. But I would not go lower in range than that. LFP is already much safer than any gasoline engine. I would like sodium just for the reliable range on low temperatures. Probably in the next years we will reach comparable density for sodium.

            • wonderingwanderer@sopuli.xyz
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              16 days ago

              The issue with that is that your range at least needs to make it between charging stations on the highway to be a realistic choice for many people. That might not be a problem in major corridors, but in sparser areas like the US midwest, it’s a legitimate concern.

              Doesn’t mean Na+ is bad, it’s just a young technology. In the next few years I expect to see the energy density increasing rapidly.

        • boonhet@sopuli.xyz
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          15 days ago

          Who wants a more front-heavy car? That’s just a recipe for understeer and I prefer having the ability to turn on ice.