Prices remain a little high for most, but electric vehicles (EVs) have gone truly mainstream within the last couple of years. Efforts are currently being directed toward tackling extensive order backlogs, but steps to improve the underlying technology are also unrelenting.
To attract the next wave of users—those not already tempted as early adopters or tech enthusiasts—EVs will need to charge faster, drive further and cost less. New battery chemistries promise a breakthrough on all fronts, boosting energy density and even allowing for smaller, lighter battery packs, further slashing the price per kilowatt hour (kWh).
Silicon has attracted much attention in this regard, not only from the academic field and at established battery companies, but also from emerging players. US-based firm Group14 has introduced a novel means of producing a silicon-carbon composite powder which can substitute or work with existing graphite in anodes.
