In 2008, South African billionaire Elon Musk rolled out the first batch of electric vehicles (EVs), stunning the world into the future. Some scientists viewed a viable solution to fossil fuel, while others set a date for an energy war. However, Electric cars are here to stay and it’s time we understand the power behind them.
Fifteen years later, annual sales of the new cars reached 10.5 million units worldwide, a gigantic leap from 12,000 in the first year. However, the silent shift in our perception is driven by a united effort to reduce dependency on petroleum. Certainly, people are discovering the benefits to our planet including its zero gas emission rate and low energy consumption. Now, throw in features such as low noise levels, or low maintenance costs, and EVs may become one of the most important technological advancements in years.
However, the power source for these vehicles has come a long way, and it is only outdone by rocket science.
How Are Electric Cars Powered?
According to a Euronews article, EVs are powered by lithium-ion technology, the same type of battery used to power mobile devices such as smartphones. In 1890, when William Morrison created the first electric car, the concept was shelved due to the failure to provide a sustainable energy source. Albeit, there were no easy answers on how and where the batteries would be recharged.
During the following decades, many other vehicle manufacturers tried without success. Despite failing several times, Ford kept going at it, and in 1966 created a rechargeable battery that could power a vehicle up to 82 miles per hour. Sadly, the battery had a heat problem of 350°C, and since it was too expensive, it was eventually shelved.
A decade later, in 1976, M. Stanley Whittingham created the first lithium-ion battery that was hailed as the solution to the Ford problem. Nonetheless, it was never commercialized due to safety issues. Just when nothing seemed to work, in 1980, John Goodenough made a scientific breakthrough that would lead to the batteries the world uses today.
Electric Car Battery Inventors Win Noble Prize
Secretly, the engineers at Sony caught onto Goodenough’s discovery and started commercializing the product. Both Stanley Whittingham and Dr. John Goodenough were awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for their work on lithium-ion technology.
Fast forward to today, Tesla, Musk RV company. has focussed primarily on accelerating the transition to lithium power. Founded in 2003, took the company five years to official sales, and in 2008 sold exactly 12,710 EVs. By 2020, the company was selling half a million vehicles per year, and almost 2 million per year in 2023.
As the stats are declaring, Musk is convincing us to create a whole new world. Surely, Electric cars are undoubtedly the future of modern transport. Some experts believe that by 2040, more than 40% of all vehicles will be powered by lithium-ion technology. Finally, a cheaper, safer, and cleaner energy source.
