Here’s how EVs could get 200 miles per gallon | A new report says that electric vehicles could double in efficiency in the next decades — if automakers make the right moves

silence7 ( @silence7@slrpnk.net ) · 7 months ago

Here’s how EVs could get 200 miles per gallon | A new report says that electric vehicles could double in efficiency in the next decades — if automakers make the right moves

OminousOrange ( @OminousOrange@lemmy.ca ) · 7 months ago

In the new report, researchers found that a combination of increasing battery density, reducing tire rolling resistance, and cutting the weight of vehicles through high-strength steel or carbon fiber could double efficiency by 2050.

For those who don’t want to read the rambling article.

Sonori ( @sonori@beehaw.org ) · 7 months ago

Thanks for the summary.

The problem with most of thouse of course, it that there are good reasons why we don’t do them already, mostly cost. Higher density batteries means the low cost, very scalable, and rare material-less batteries like LFP or Sodium Ion are right out, rolling resistance is very hard to reduce without sacrificing road adhesion and traction, and carbon fiber can’t be welded or bent to shape, making manufacturing more difficult and expensive.

From a climate perspective, what matters is the boring everyday sedan, suv, minivan, and pickup, not the top of the line luxury market, as much as amarican automakers would like to pretend otherwise.