Future Battery Technologies — Lesson 5

This lesson covers the future of battery technologies, focusing on the parameters that will determine their success. It discusses the potential of various batteries, including lithium polymer, lithium sulfur, lithium air, and sodium ion batteries. The lesson also highlights the importance of cost, weight, number of cycles, and temperature range in determining the viability of these batteries. For instance, lithium air batteries could potentially reach an energy density with gasoline, but currently, they are limited by their cycle life and high cost. The lesson also emphasizes that while new battery technologies are promising, they still have a long way to go before they can compete with existing lithium-ion batteries.

Video Highlights

00:19 - Introduction
01:33 - Importance of cost, weight, material, number of cycles, and temperature range in batteries
05:42 - Detailed discussion on the limitations and potential of future batteries
13:54 - Alternative to lithium batteries
15:58 - Cost and energy density of super capacitors, flow batteries, and fuel cells

Key Takeaways

- Lithium-ion batteries, with their high specific energy, low cost, and decent cycle life, are likely to remain dominant in the near future.
- Future batteries like lithium air, lithium sulfur, and sodium ion batteries show promise but are currently limited by factors such as cost, cycle life, and energy density.
- Cost is a crucial factor in the success of future batteries. If a new battery technology cannot compete in cost, its other advantages may not be enough to make it viable.
- The number of cycles a battery can undergo before its performance degrades is also a key consideration. More cycles mean lower effective costs.
- Temperature range is a significant concern, especially in countries with high temperatures.