Battery health event

Battery degradation is one of the biggest concerns for potential used battery electric vehicle (BEV) buyers

Vehicle resellers and remarketers need help in setting used BEV prices and reassuring potential customers

The BVRLA is bringing industry and battery experts together on 16 May to explore ways of promoting greater confidence in the used electric vehicle market

Tickets available now via BVRLA website: https://www.bvrla.co.uk/event/fic-deep-dive.html




The BVRLA is assembling an advisory group of battery experts on 16 May to explore ways of promoting greater confidence in the used electric vehicle market. Battery degradation is one of the biggest concerns for potential used battery electric vehicle (BEV) buyers, and organisations across the automotive supply chain are exploring ways of accurately measuring and recording health status.

Titled ‘Battery Health: supercharge your knowledge’, the BVRLA’s half-day ‘Deep Dive’ event, taking place in central London, will include panel discussions and keynote speeches from battery engineers, health-check providers and the UK Department for Transport. The association is hosting the event in partnership with Auto Trader, whose regular market insights have tracked an increasing supply/demand imbalance in the new and used BEV market, and highlighted the wider implications for the market.

“As the new electric vehicle market grows and matures, it is only natural that the spotlight shifts to the other end of the automotive value chain,” said Toby Poston, director of corporate affairs at the BVRLA. “Recent history has highlighted the perils of flawed vehicle data. The BVRLA is working with Government and colleagues across the fleet sector industry to promote battery health information that is reliable, accessible and useable.”

The BVRLA Deep Dive will explore current trends in battery technology and degradation before examining the latest developments in battery health monitoring. The DfT will give a perspective on attempts to produce global standards in this area, while Auto Trader will share its latest data and insights on the used BEV market. A limited number of tickets are still available, full details and online registration are available on the Fleets in Charge webpage.

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We have seen new electric vehicle sales go from strength to strength in recent years. As those vehicles start to filter through to the used market, the spotlight is being shone on battery health, vehicle reliability and residual values.

I’m excited to be joining the BVRLA’s Battery Health Deep Dive event in London in a couple of weeks. It is set to explore the topic in real detail, with battery engineers and representatives from the companies leading the way in battery health checks taking to the stage.

I look forward to seeing many of my industry contacts there on Tuesday 16 May.

#BatteryHealth #UsedEVs #FleetsInCharge

EVs could travel five times further with new battery tech

A new type of automotive battery technology could be used to increase the range of electric vehicles (EVs) by up to five times.

Scientists at the University of Michigan have developed a solution that enables lithium-sulpher batteries, which have a much higher capacity than the lithium-ion technology currently used in EVs, to be used in automotive applications.

Lithium-sulpher batteries were previously unsuitable for EVs as they could only be cycled (discharged and recharged) 10 times, rather than the 1,000-plus that’s required.


https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/latest-fleet-news/electric-fleet-news/2022/01/14/evs-could-travel-five-times-further-with-new-battery-tech

Lithium

A mining company consultant with decades of experience doubts the industry will be able to support all the electric car production planned: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-22/mr-lithiumalr-warns-there-s-not-enough-battery-metal-to-go-around

Salar de Uyuni lithium Bolivia Dan Lundberg Flickr

Interestingly the research into how lithium is extracted, for example from brine, is developing quickly – but will it be quick enough to meet demand? An article from a couple of years ago here about this subject: https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/features/lithium-brine-extraction-research/#

In Cornwall a different method will be used: https://cornishlithium.com/projects/lithium-in-geothermal-waters/direct-lithium-extraction/

Battery breakthroughs

Now that much more research is going into EVs, rather than ICE vehicles, the developments will keep coming – IMHO! For example:

A new fabrication technique could allow solid-state automotive lithium-ion batteries to adopt nonflammable ceramic electrolytes using the same production processes as in batteries made with conventional liquid electrolytes.

More here: https://www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com/features/researchers-discover-breakthrough-solid-state-ev-battery-manufacturing-technique.html

EV Diagnostics

The device shown here is a two-pole tester from www.picoauto.com  

It could be the piece of equipment that does the most important test you will ever carry out! The test that stops you being killed by electric shock. The device is deliberately very simple. The image top left is a test with the leads connected together. The next image is a safe 12V reading but the bottom image shows a dangerous reading (mains voltage with my PV panels working in this case).

Simple go, no-go results.

EV Charging Strategy for Wales

Industry Specialist Hayley Pells informs FSB Wales Response to Charging Strategy

A Welsh Government Consultation seeking to gather views on the draft strategy for electric vehicle charging in Wales has been responded to by the Federation of Small Business (FSB) lobbying on behalf of the small business owners of Wales.

The strategy sets out where we are now in Wales providing vehicle electric charging, our changing needs for the decade, and how they can be met.

Dr Llŷr ap Gareth, Head of Policy for Wales FSB, has written the response considering the needs of the many small businesses of Wales, from rural areas to urban environments. Contextualising the needs of the organisations represented by the FSB whilst being mindful of capability of the technology, Llŷr worked with Hayley Pells, newly appointed to the Wales Policy Unit of the FSB to create the document, using her automotive industry insight in addition to the wealth of knowledge the FSB has regarding the needs of small business in Wales.

“There is a risk that small business can be left out of the EV ecosystem, whereas larger organisations may have greater resources to include this new technology into their environments, I am incredibly happy to assist the FSB with their efforts in this, especially as they have been instrumental in the growth of my own small business.” said Hayley Pells. Commenting further on the consultation, Llŷr ap Gareth stated “for businesses to move to electric vehicle stock, it’s important that appropriate infrastructure supports their needs and so it’s likewise important that those needs are heard in this strategy”.

Opening on the 2nd December 2020, the draft Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging strategy for Wales closes for responses on 24th February 2020.

https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/consultations/2020-12/electric-vehicle-charging-strategy-consultation-document.pdf

February 2021