EVs Get a Charge Out of Aluminum-Ion Batteries

Aluminum-ion rechargeable batteries charge 10 times faster than lithium-ion batteries, recent test results show in a study by Australia-based Graphene Manufacturing Group. Although their energy density is about 60% of the energy per weight of the best lithium-ion batteries, they provide other benefits:

Speedy charge. A smartphone running an aluminum-ion battery could charge fully in one to five minutes. While an electric vehicle using the new battery would only drive about 60% the distance of a comparable vehicle with the lithium-ion battery, its charge speed would be so fast that a shorter driving range wouldn’t matter.

Quality of life. Aluminum-ion batteries have a longer life cycle than lithium batteries. They can undergo 2,000 charges with no apparent deterioration in performance. Aluminum-ion batteries are safe, with low potential for catching fire, and are more recyclable at the end of their life.

No sweat. The batteries don’t require cooling gear, which means cooling systems could be eliminated from an electric vehicle and replaced with larger aluminum-ion battery packs to provide the same energy density as a lithium-ion battery.