EV Maker to Develop Bulk Electrode Batteries
An electric vehicle maker says it is to develop EV batteries with bulk electrodes.
The company, Fisker, claims this will make the batteries cheaper, safer, and quicker to charge than lithium ion ones. The company does not comment in its statement announcing the move as to whether the batteries will reduce EV owners’ individual carbon footprints, an issue over which recent research has cast question marks.
It is also arguably sensible for Fisker to be concentrating on cost as a key selling point for its batteries, as at least one automotive heavy hitter has identified this as the main motivation behind consumer purchases of EVs. The automaker is developing the batteries using funding from Caterpillar Ventures, an investment fund with a focus on technology entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.
Both companies claim Caterpillar’s investment shows they acknowledge the “importance that electrification solutions will represent to multiple business segments in the future”. They also claim their respective funding and development of EV tech is motivated by its “increasing importance” and “potential to positively impact customer value”.
