Beijing Automotive Group’s latest electric vehicle battery can power a trip from Pittsburgh to Cleveland and back — about 268 miles — with 12 miles of range to spare.
The performance alone is laudable but not exactly unique. Many EVs boast 300-mile ranges, and automakers in China are testing packs that can provide nearly 1,000 miles of range on a single charge.
Meanwhile, the cheaper sodium-ion chemistry, superb cold-weather performance, and 11-minute charge time round out impressive descriptions from Electrek and other publications.
The battery is part of BAIC Group’s foray into emerging chemistries, including solid-state and sodium packs. The 280-mile energy storer is the latter type, which uses sodium ions during the charge/discharge cycle instead of lithium ones.
Sodium is cheaper than lithium and operates more effectively at lower temperatures, according to Chemical & Engineering News. Recent breakthroughs, including BAIC Group’s, are also overcoming storage capacity hurdles that have plagued sodium research.
“Sodium offers a lower-cost, less price-sensitive alternative to lithium,” Electrek’s Peter Johnson wrote in March. “For that reason, CATL, BYD, and several other leading Chinese battery manufacturers are betting on sodium-ion batteries to combat rising lithium prices.”
Meanwhile, recharging batteries of any kind at home is the cheapest option. Experts from Qmerit have reported that powering up at home can save EV owners hundreds to thousands of dollars a year compared to gas and public charge ports that include fees.
Upgrading to a Level 2 charger can also make charging far faster than using a standard wall outlet. The ports, which need to be professionally installed, can charge an EV in four to 10 hours, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Public stalls can provide hundreds of miles of range in under 20 minutes but are costlier to use.
Qmerit can help prospective buyers get the best prices on Level 2 upgrades with competitive quotes from trusted installers. Adding home solar is another great way to increase savings, drawing on cheap and abundant electricity from the sun to power EVs and avoiding expensive grid energy.
TCD’s Solar Explorer is a solid resource for understanding consumer options. The tool provides access to curated quotes from vetted installers, so you know you are getting the right system at the best price. The concierge-level service can save you up to $10,000 on upfront costs.
BAIC Group’s battery could better use the stored energy in practically any temperature. Electrek reported that it retained 92% of its energy at -4 degrees Fahrenheit. The tech seems ready for market, as the publication described it as a “prototype” with an “established mass-production method.”
However, the Chinese tech likely won’t make its way stateside soon. While recent reports have noted the potential for U.S./China EV trade, any deal would break decades of policy precedent designed to protect American brands from competition with cheaper imports.
For their part, fast-charging EVs powered by the sun can reduce reliance on the grid, and in turn on oil, gas, and coal. Those fuels also produce harmful air pollution when burned for power.
“The geopolitical aspect aside for the moment, what’s interesting is the relentless innovation happening with renewables,” one Electrek reader commented. “Renewables keep improving year after year after year.”
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