One of the most notable concerns that consumers have with electric cars is range anxiety, which is the fear of drivers and passengers that the vehicle will use up all its power before they reach their intended destination or a charging station.
Samsung SDI, the battery division of Samsung, is looking to address range anxiety through a new battery that was unveiled at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Capacity Of Next-Gen Samsung Battery For Electric Vehicles
The next-generation battery for electric vehicles is described by Samsung SDI as being capable of offering electric vehicles a range of up to 372 miles, a significant increase compared with the range offered by current electric vehicles. Tesla Motors, for example, unveiled in the summer of 2016 a larger 100 kWh battery pack which is capable of pushing the range of the company's Model S P100D electric vehicle to an estimated 315 miles on a single charge. It was reported that the range would be boosted to 381 miles, but that figure was based on European standards, whereas the 315-mile range is based on United States standards.
Charging The New Samsung Battery For Electric Cars
A boost in the maximum range of electric vehicles is not the only breakthrough presented by Samsung SDI's new batteries though. According to the unit, the battery is capable of storing enough power for 310 miles, or about 80 percent of its capacity, with a charging time of just 20 minutes.
This means that in just 20 minutes in a charging area, drivers will be able to recover much of the spent energy in the electric car's battery, presenting another solution to concerns of range anxiety. The time is perfect for a quick stop for the driver and passengers of the electric vehicle to have a washroom break or to grab a snack, for example.
In comparison, the superchargers of Tesla Motors are able to charge up the company's electric vehicles for 170 miles of range in a charging time of 30 minutes, at a rate that will be doubled by Samsung's new battery. Tesla Motors, however, has plans to construct even more powerful superchargers, though specific details are still unknown.
When Will The New Samsung Battery For Electric Cars Be Available?
According to Samsung SDI, the mass production of the next-gen batteries for electric vehicles will not begin until 2021, a target year that will likely have the technology available for the first batch of promised self-driving cars being developed by several automobile manufacturers and technology companies.
However, at the rapid pace that the industry is developing, Samsung will likely have at least a few challengers once it is able to start mass production for its new electric car battery, especially in the aspect of increasing the promised range of electric vehicles.
Some of these challengers could be products of the Gigafactory of Tesla Motors. Mass production of lithium-ion battery cells at the Gigafactory has recently started, in partnership with Panasonic, with the goal of the world's biggest factory being able to manufacture 35 gigawatt-hours per year of lithium-ion battery cells by next year.
