And it's up

Extracting lithium isn't the issue. Lithium is abundant and hardly any is "mined"--most is concentrated in saltwater evaporation ponds. Nickel and cobalt are of much greater concern, though developments in battery tech are reducing the need for these metals (and may one day eliminate it entirely). Current fuel cells need just as much, if not more, heavy metal content. Even if this were reduced, assuming you're discussing hydrogen fuel cell technology, the greatest barrier is end-to-end efficiency. Hydrolysis isn't that efficient and neither is converson back to electricity. End-to-end is less than 50% right now. A battery is 90+% efficient each way, so there are far fewer losses. Unless hydrogen fuel cell technology and hydrogen production gets a LOT more efficient, then it will always take more energy to produce hydrogen than it does to store in a battery. If we were already on a 100% renewable grid that might be OK, but so long as energy remains scarce, waste is not good.

Technology Connections

I read somewhere recently (BBC Focus Magazine I think) that the main impediment to mass migration to EV is that there isn't enough lithium in the world for that many batteries, plus extracting lithium (and neodymium) is very hard on the environment. I know there are plans on moving to aluminium (aluminum for you guys across the Atlantic) for rechargeable batteries coupled with various nano-technologies. Maybe we shouldn't be so quick to bypass fuel cell tech..

Gordo

I 100% agree. I think the only workplaces who would really be easy to install DCFCs will be like mine. They have 3 phase 480, 277, 208, and 120V on site complete with mini local substation. (Tons of motorized belts as well as 4 EV cargo trucks (Read: UPS Hybrid Electric Vehicle) charged with the CS-100 Level 2 station. Oddly enough the trucks read 460ish volts at approx 20 amps when charging is at its quickest. (BTW had to look up the difference between levels 1, 2, and 3.) Unfortunately, the electrical capacity is JUST not there in the trucks and the engine usually has to cut in to charge after only 4 working hours. Hooray for standards!

Christopher Bassett

Thanks for this--a comprehensive view. But I will remain staunch in my assertion that slow home charging is more important than fast charging. Fast charging is necessary--yes! But it is only a barrier to long range travel, and I think it is important that we communicate that. Particularly because no matter how reasonable the pricing will be for a DCFC network, it will always be cheaper to charge at home.

Technology Connections

If you guys want "real" engineering input to this topic, here it is: <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361920917305643" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361920917305643</a> This article is a summary overview of over two dozen other articles and studies, plus real-world research from Sweden and Germany who are farther down the EV road than we are in the USA. A very brief summary of the findings are: Commercial success depends on simultaneous development / cost reduction of storage batteries and fast chargers .... Progress is being made so rapidly that even data from just 5 years ago is obsolete .... Total and Shell have recently purchased two frontline charging system companies which indicates that the petroleum majors believe in EV technology's commercial feasibility .... US' total utility generating capacity will have to be increased, but the distribution network is probably up to the task .... Public fast-charging stations will most assuredly have to be placed along traffic routes, as not everyone can (or will) hit the road with a fully charged battery, or a battery in perfect condition. MY conclusion? Wait 3 to 5 more years before junking the gas burner for a new EV. Early adopters always pay more for new tech and find that the version they purchased becomes superceded by better and more efficient products at lower cost. That same time period will allow the charging station companies time to develop nationwide networks.

Roger Beal

Good video, and for most of my driving my 'home infrastructure' would be all I'd use. The only thing putting me off an EV is longer trips - 5-6 times a year I need to travel distances that I simply couldn't cover with any existing EVs, and it's that infrastructure that I worry about for now. Filling up at a traditional gas station is much more convenient than waiting for 30-60 minutes (if there even is a charging point free). I'm sure that this infrastructure will come eventually but it'll need to be there before I make the leap!

John M

Please do! We need more people to understand the benefits of home charging so that more effort is concentrated on making this possible in areas where it otherwise might not be. As I said, I think lifting the barriers to home charging in difficult neighborhoods/situations is far more important than getting a ton of DCFC stations in urban areas.

Technology Connections

Exactly! But this is why I worry that we'll just shift from gas stations to charging stations. I think that home or work charging is clearly the better option from an investment standpoint, but the hurdles in a more urban setting might get in the way. Stupid life with its complications!

Technology Connections

It's funny, because the infrastructure costs and requirements correlate with the number of people serviced by volume (which is the definition of infrastructure). People in rural areas, to the contrary to popular belief, have the lowest costs and burden to installing their own charging setup: abundant space, fewer permits and zoning BS. In apartments, condos, and more urban dwellings, it's a much larger hurdle for an individual to push for the infrastructure, since you're dealing with other people's property, permits, zoning, etc.

Spot on, Alec! You're right, this is important. I may use a part of this in our presentation, "Four years with a Nissan Leaf". www.electraa.org.uk.

Stephen Bell

Fortunately we have you, Mat's Techmoan, Louis Rossmann, Dave Jones' EEVBlog, VWestlife "the ghetto Techmoan - hehe", Learn Engineering (the Indian CAD guys), and Mr. Carlson's Lab, to really learn engineering and technology, and don't need that often-wrong Jason (who needs "engineering explained" to him!)

Bill Basch

In the longer term, there is a need for an infrastructure for opportunistic charging that will do so at pretty much any location the EV stops for any significant amount of time. Rather than sit idle for one long charging period, autonomous EVs can be driving others around while their owners sleep and top up while parking. But the idea of charging stations as a destination anywhere but the open highway is like assuming replacing payphones with cell phones means people will have to drop quarters into their portable handsets.

Great video.

Hank Lloyd Right