Solid State Development

[dbsb3233]

I am hoping that the EV mfg continue to use the 400-480v architecture for 'a while'.... This would enable higher capacity batteries to be used with existing motors, controllers, chargers, etc. There are lots of reasons to stick with 400v -480v nominal voltage.... especially since most of the DCFC chargers getting installed are designed to pull from 480vAC 3-phase in the US.

The secondary market for 'used' EV batteries will be the solar industry, which also is moving toward standardized DC input to hybrid inverters at the 400-480v level. (a handy multiple of old school 48vDC battery configuration for off-grid)

As residential and small commercial installs start installing customer-side or utility-side batteries to form micro-grid 'catch and release' capacity... used EV batteries will be a perfect fit at low cost perfectly suited for relatively low loads to power a house compared to a car.

Could be. The question is will those be mostly from BEV battery replacements, or simply BEVs that were totally retired. I'm guessing it'll be mostly the latter, and that battery replacements usually just won't be worth it for car owners. I expect the vast majority to just sell the car to a buyer that's willing to take a cheap car with less range, a dealer, or just retire it completely (salvage value).

As great as we think our MMEs are now, the next decade is always better. By then it's usually "Ooh, I want those new features, and that new car smell!".

Sponsored

 

[Space Ghost GT]

I think I’ll be happy with my paid off Mach E in 5 years, charging it at home for free from solar panel produced energy, still never needing to buy gas and always starting my day with a full battery.

The argument that you shouldn’t buy a thing because tomorrow there will be a better thing doesn’t really float for me. That’s the case for almost anything in any industry. At some point you buy in and enjoy the improvement from wherever you bought in last. If you spend your time worrying about what’s new since you bought in, you won’t enjoy the thing you have.

By your logic, ICE cars should have been rendered worthless within 5 years of EV introduction, but clearly that hasn’t happened. Our Mach E’s will still be wonderful cars within 5 years too.

Will sync4 be supported in 5 years? Will a HVJB fail after warranty? Will the new cars deliver full power and not leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere at a taco stand on vacation (scoopman). Will the new cars be able to DCFC without the risk of melting down. The current Mach E is not a reliable fully baked vehicle. 10 minutes on this forum will tell you that. You’ve got a nice fantasy going by your logic I’ll give you that. This conversation makes me want to dump my GT that’s coming in 3 weeks after waiting 7 months.

 

[shelnian]

I believe charging infrastructure will limit faster charging capabilities. Already a 350KW DC charger can provide about 425 Amps at 800 Volts and requires a liquid cooled cable. To go to higher currents and/or voltages would become a lot harder to handle physically and would require a new connector so I don't see it happening anytime soon.

 

[Toreus]

Will sync4 be supported in 5 years? Will a HVJB fail after warranty? Will the new cars deliver full power and not leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere at a taco stand on vacation (scoopman). Will the new cars be able to DCFC without the risk of melting down. The current Mach E is not a reliable fully baked vehicle. 10 minutes on this forum will tell you that. You’ve got a nice fantasy going by your logic I’ll give you that. This conversation makes me want to dump my GT that’s coming in 3 weeks after waiting 7 months.

You’ve barely been here a month, but you’ve clearly got it all figured out. Seems the Mach E isn’t for you - wishing you the best

 

[Space Ghost GT]

Passive aggressive whomp whomp 🫡

You’ve barely been here a month, but you’ve clearly got it all figured out. Seems the Mach E isn’t for you - wishing you the best

passive aggressive whomp whomp 🫵🫡

 

[mkhuffman]

I believe charging infrastructure will limit faster charging capabilities. Already a 350KW DC charger can provide about 425 Amps at 800 Volts and requires a liquid cooled cable. To go to higher currents and/or voltages would become a lot harder to handle physically and would require a new connector so I don't see it happening anytime soon.

Yes, but...

I think a 350 kW charger will be more than sufficient for quite a while. Maybe indefinitely.

Lucid is currently the leader in charging speed, and their cars don't maintain 300 kW for more than a few minutes:

But even with that charge curve, which should be a lot flatter with solid state batteries, the time needed to add range is excellent. If you have a Lucid, and can find a good 350 kW pump, you will spend very little time at the station.

I think the 20 minute charge is the sweet spot. If you can charge in 20 minutes or less, it is almost equivalent to an ICE petrol stop. I only needed a 10 minute charge yesterday when coming home from vacation, and that is how long it also took to pee and walk the dogs. Waiting an additional 10 minutes would not have been a big deal at all.

With a sustained 20 minute 350 kW charge, you could easily add 300-400 miles of range even in a relatively inefficient vehicle. That is what solid state batteries will give us.

 

[dbsb3233]

I think a 350 kW charger will be more than sufficient for quite a while. Maybe indefinitely.

Yep. Not to mention a huge challenge to provide since DCFC stations will grow from 4 chargers to 8, then 16, and so on to keep up with a growing share of EVs on the roads.

I feel like there's a point where the "Ever More Power!" push needs to get reigned in from a practicality standpoint. While it's a different dynamic than road trip DCFC, some of us have already done that with our home L2 by dialing it down to be safer, better for the batteries, better for the grid, and easier on all the equipment. I'm running mine at 24A now, which meets my overnight charging needs sufficiently.

And there's some examples of MME owners with overheating issues who are already opting for lower power DCFCs where available.

Sponsored