Page 23 - EE Times Europe September 2021

EE|Times EUROPE 23

Price, Range, Choice Are Keys to BEV Success

IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK

battery swapping that goes into effect in LONGER BEV RANGE new material. Battery recycling can create
November. The cure for range anxiety is greater range, battery supply chains in regions without
China’s Nio is the leader in number of and that is likely to occur when BEVs reach natural resources. Sustainability and a lower
vehicles using battery-swapping technology. price parity with ICEVs after 2023. Using the environmental and societal impact of battery
Nio has about 200 battery-swapping stations 2030 price point of US$58/kWh versus US$137 production are also growing in importance.
and has performed more than 2 million in 2021, the typical BEV range would more The good news is that there is much activ-
battery swaps thus far. Nio BEVs can also use than double, from 250 miles in 2021 to nearly ity and growth in battery recycling, including
battery-charging stations. Currently, China 600 miles in 2030 — assuming a similar multiple startups, such as Redwood
has more than 650 battery-swapping stations battery cost. Materials and Li-Cycle. J.R. Straubel,
and may top 1,000 by the end of 2021. Other factors are also increasing BEV range. Redwood’s founder, was previously Tesla’s
The question is whether battery swap- Electric motors are becoming more efficient CTO. Redwood is now partnering with Tesla
ping will become viable in the U.S. and via better magnets, improved chip technol- for battery recycling. Li-Cycle is partnering
Europe. Ample, a U.S. startup, is develop- ogy for motor control, and upgraded battery with GM and LG’s Ultium battery cell unit.
ing a battery-swapping business model. In management electronics and software. Both companies are also recycling the waste
Europe, Renault is considering using battery Solar cells on top of BEVs may also extend from battery production.
exchanges for its future BEVs. The odds are the range, as the generated electricity could The BEV industry needs better long-term
against battery swapping becoming a key be used for heating, cooling, and other BEV solutions for battery recycling. The best solu-
technology in the U.S. and European main- electronics. tion is manufacturing batteries with recycling
stream markets, though its prospects look as a design criterion. That’s likely to happen
better for BEVs used in taxis, robotaxis, and BATTERY RECYCLING in future battery generations.
other fleet operations. Recycling is of growing importance for all BEVs have momentum and will become
industries and will be crucial for BEVs. Cur- the dominant technology sometime after
MORE BEV VARIETY rently, the traditional industry is doing better 2030. Sales of ICEVs have peaked, based on a
Auto buyers have a wide range of use cases than BEVs in battery-recycling efforts. The small but steady decline that started several
with vastly different requirements. Many recycling industry is growing quickly because years ago. Multiple factors have driven
BEV models must cover all vehicle segments a flood of BEV batteries has reached the end this trend, but more BEV technology and
to satisfy all buyers’ needs. BEV models must of the line. That flood will increase rapidly market advances are needed to sustain its
be available in large and small versions as every year. momentum.
well as car, truck, SUV, and other vehicle Last December, IHS Markit estimated that Still uncertain is how quickly BEVs will
segments. BEV model variety is slim so far, 500,000 tons (57 GWh) of batteries reached become the leading auto technology. In the
but planned introductions have grown sig- their end-of-life point in 2020. That figure is last two years, the BEV success timeline has
nificantly in the past three years, with much expected to rise to 1.2 million tons accelerated as major auto OEMs perceive
more variety in the works. (121 GWh) in 2025, increasing to 3.5 million BEVs becoming the future vehicle technology
Sufficient model variety is likely to be tons (350 GWh) in 2030 — a sevenfold along with new transportation modes such as
available around 2025 to meet most buyers’ increase in 10 years. mobility-as-a-service.
use scenarios. Major automakers will offer as The advantages of battery recycling include Autonomous-vehicle technology develop-
many as 20 BEV models by 2025. A reliable cost, supply chain security, and sustain- ment and expanding AV use cases will also
indicator is the current interest in BEV pickup ability. Using recycled battery materials has rely on BEVs but will pose additional technol-
trucks from Ford, GM, Tesla, and Rivian. the potential to be cheaper than acquiring ogy and investment challenges. ■

www.eetimes.eu | SEPTEMBER 2021