The Ifbattery is set to revolutionise charging times for Electric Vehicles, meaning that owning one could actually be practical for all the demographics, not just the handful that want to do the right thing.
Transportation for the masses is changing, Electric Vehicles (EV’s), Hybrids, BEV’s and PHEV’s are a serious part of many manufacturers plans for the future, but right now, they are flawed.
Battery prices, limited range and lengthy charge times are just three of the problems that manufacturers currently face, but technology developed by a team at Purdue University in the U.S. is about to change at least one of those; charge times for the battery could be reduced to the same length of time as it takes to fill up a regular tank.
Minutes not Hours
Plug-in vehicles currently account for around 0.10% of worldwide car sales, and whilst the likes of Tesla are pushing the technological boundaries, reducing costs and developing products that you’d actually want to own because it’s a great product, that figure is surely set to rise.
The first generation of plugins would see you being able to run your daily commute and back before needing to find a power-source to plug-in to, and once you’d found that source, you’d be there a while – an hour’s charge for ten miles wasn’t unheard of.
As with all technology, once it’s adopted, people start pushing development and improving the whole experience, in the case of electric vehicles, this has brought prices down, extended the driving range and to some extent, reduced charging times – the Tesla Supercharger station can give a 100% charge in just forty minutes.
IF-Battery
The fact remains that charging times for these vehicles means that a plan is still required if you’re looking to travel any distance – you can’t just hop out and fill up before continuing with your journey, you’ll need to think about where you’re stopping and for how long; a coffee? Lunch? Dinner … Overnight?
Welcome to the world of modern battery technology – the Ifbattery.
The Ifbattery is what’s known as a ‘flow’ battery, as with many great or revolutionary inventions, the idea behind it sounds quite simple; the battery uses fluid electrolytes to re-energise the spent battery fluid – you drain the spent fluid and replace with new.
It’s hoped that the existing petrol station infrastructure (tanks, pipes, pumps etc) could be used to store, remove and fill the batteries, meaning that a changeover to this new tech could be relatively simple and low-cost.
Click below to watch more on the technology.
As a Consumer
At the moment, this new technology isn’t going to improve matters directly, although with research teams working hard to improve the situation, you know that these developments are in the pipeline (excuse the pun!).
There will come a day when electric vehicles are able to compete on price, range and practicality with traditionally fossil-fuelled vehicles, but that day isn’t quite here yet. If you’re looking to switch fuels for your vehicle, you’re going to need to wait for another few years before this type of technology is widely available.
In the meantime, prices for electric vehicles (and the associated hybrids) are becoming more affordable, they are just beginning to compete with the regular cars, if you can live with the extended charge times, they could well be worth looking at as an alternative mode of transport.
Is electric power something you’d consider instead of fossil fuels? What would make your decision easier? Let us know in the comments section below.
Image Credit – Pixabay
Yes I would consider EVs if they could get better mileage like the the Tesla from a charge and less time to charge.
I drive an auto so would not take issue with the power plant being electric if it had similar range, costs and maintenance requirements as a combustion engine. I suspect some advocates of manual transmissions may be put off. As far as I know most ev’s don’t adopt a manual gearbox.
Range; see my comments elsewhere.
Costs? You will save BIG money moving to electric. Not only is electricity much cheaper than petrol, you have virtually no servicing with an electric car. My Tesla all-in running costs are 1.8p/mile. My previous car was 11p/mile.
In an EV, there is none of the stuff a petrol car has as I said elsewhere: Air filter, oil filter, cam belt, spark plugs, gaskets, exhausts, clutch……….the list goes on. New EVs don’t even have a 12v battery!
So much less to go wrong.
Your servicing is basically screenwash and tyre pressures. Every 3 years power steering fluid and a cabin pollen filter. That really is it.
“A Tesla Model S has fewer than 150 moving parts, including the drive train, windows, controls, suspension and doors. A typical internal combustion engine car has about 10,000.” (from Quora.com)
What you have failed to say is how much your Tesla cost….and we haven’t even got to discussing the batteries. The oil will run out, but so will the lithium!
How about looking a perpetual motion with pure water as the fuel, splitting to hydrogen and oxygen – just like we all did at school, burn it, collect the water vapour from the exhaust and start again. Yes it would be complicated to scale down for a car, but given the R&D it could be done.
The IF-Battery would answer what is to me the main drawback with electric vehicles. Not range (which is what manufacturers bang on about) but refueling time. Currently I can refuel my petrol car in a few minutes, but recharging an electric car takes hours – not good in the middle of the night in a strange town miles from home. Get this technology to work and I’m definitely interested!
At the moment I feel that electric cars are summertime inner city runabouts. There is still a lot of work to be done on the power source. At the moment I think that some form of hybrid is the best solution.
I would need to be convinced that the folowing points had been discussed and resolved so that the vehicle produced would be safe and fit for purpose
How corrosive is the “fuel” for the IFbattery, it is battery acid is it not, and how safe is it if the vehicle w,as involved in an accident? Some power storage technologies may be safer than others, what are the other options.
Will the “battery” still be able to be charged from mains hookup.?
What is the lifetime of the battery and how much would it cost to replace, normal car batteries last about 5 years according to the manufacturers.
What happens in the winter time , how is heating the vehicle achieved how many kilowatts?, also in really hot weather how is the air conditioning implemented bearing in mind the compressor in the refridgeration unit can consume 50 Amperes at 12 Volts i.e. 600 Watts.
How does the amount of pollution generated by the power station in charging the battery compare with the pollution generated by a petrol engine( with a device to stop the engine wilst the car is not moving) of a similar power output.
Will there be enough power available to tow a caravan/trailer.
I appreciate that using a battery to power a vehicle removes the pollution from the point of use of the vehicle, but at the moment it puts severe power restrictions on that vehicle, so from my point of view the technology will have to change dramatically to make this form of transport viable as a general purpose vehicle
“Will there be enough power available to tow a caravan/trailer.”
An electric car produces one hell of a lot more torque than a petrol/diesel car. That’s why they do 0-60 in a few seconds. Tesla’s new semi (truck) is powered by a number of Model 3 car motors. Say no more.
“How does the amount of pollution generated by the power station in charging the battery compare with the pollution generated by a petrol engine”
Even if your electricity came from 100% coal an EV would STILL be cleaner than petrol. Don’t forget that to refine oil into petrol/diesel take a LOT of electricity – so much that to refine oil to 1 gallon of petrol uses the same amount of electricity to move an EV over 20 miles. Think about that.
Here in the UK we have virtually no coal power now. My old diesel Renault did about 140g/CO2 per mile. My Tesla works out at about 40g/CO2 per mile. When its sunny or windy, and the grid has a lot of renewables, it can be as low as 20g/mile.
“What happens in the winter time , how is heating the vehicle achieved how many kilowatts?,”
My Tesla uses a few hundred watts. It’s insignificant.
“but at the moment it puts severe power restrictions on that vehicle,”
No it absolutely does not. An EV will out-accelerate almost any other car. Even a Nissan Leaf can beat most cars to 60. You need to do some research! My Tesla will do 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds. You’re welcome to a ride if you live in the UK.
Edward, you make some really good points but what is the overall cost of owning your Tesla including purchase price, depreciation and cost of replacing the vehicle compared to owning a conventional car please?
Are you runnimng an electric car just because you care about the environment or is there a real overall cost saving?
I have run a Toyota Prius hybrid (non-rechargeable) for over 4 years. At present, it seems to be the best compromise between the high emissions of fossil fuels and the shortcomings of battery-only vehicles. It gives an overall 56 mph with less than 100 mgm/litre emission. I know some diesels get close to that but, as mentioned above, the Prius performs to this level with an automatic gearbox and is also a fairly big car.
I would consider battery-only when they give at least 300 mile range and/or 15-minute recharging.
Unless there’s a specific reason you need 15 minute charging, then a 300 mile range car (why that number?) is almost here. Nissan’s new Leaf and the Tesla Model 3 for example.
Think about how you use a car.
I drive 2000 miles a month in my Tesla, up and down the motorways of the UK. Range isn’t an issue, and charge speed likewise. Superchargers on motorways, or at home overnight on cheap rate electric.
I’ve done rural Wales, Scottish highlands and everywhere inbetween. No worries.
This article is nonsense.
95% of journeys are under 27 miles per day. Well within range of every EV on the market today. 98% are under 40 miles. Again, no issue.
Charge speed? What do you do when you get home? You plug it in. Let it charge overnight when you’re asleep. Using cheap rate electricity you can fully charge a Tesla with 240 mile range for under £4.50. A Nissan leaf costs under £2 for 100 miles. Got solar PV at home? Electricity might even cost you next to nothing over a year.
Stop thinking like a petrol car driver – EVs ARE DIFFERENT! No more petrol stations, no more cam belts, exhausts, oil changes, spark plugs, air filters, clutches, gearboxes…………..you probably won’t even change a set of brake pads in the time you own the car.
There are plenty of good EVs out now, and a LOT more coming soon. The “range” thing is a misnomer. Do the maths for yourself and you’ll probably find one to suit you now.
Feel free to send me any questions. I’m lucky enough to have a Tesla and love it.
So living in a second floor flat with no opportunity to charge at home, and the nearest tesla charging point over 30 miles from home, in a direction I never travel in ….. would anyone recommend I change to electric? Most of my journeys are less than 30 miles round trip so I’d have to go miles out of my way to get a charge … a 60 mile round trip at least.
I’d love to go electric but how practical is it for people like me?
I have had a ride in a Tesla -very impressed, but not surprised as I race r/c electric cars and fly electric r/c aircraft using Lithium cells but discovered that small is cheap and big gets much more expensive. I have a 4 year old Fiesta 1.6 econetic Diesel for £6000, no tax, up to 85 mpg, 6000 miles a yr. How can I beat these cheap to run costs with electric with very high car costs not to mention battery replacements over the life of the car as the performance drops off and Electronic Speed Controls, motors? (I have smoked a few -easy) Looking for economy.
Hi I have a 2014 Vauxhall Ampera up to 50 miles on electric and 310 miles on petrol so a good range in the car.
Goverment grant is £500 GBP plus my £208 part payment for installation and charger to my house and now I never go to a petrol station no need any more. I own my batteries they came with the car, problems with the batteries, it is a myth put out by people who do not drive a EREV it is a fantastic car and very cheap to run and no road tax a great plus in my eyes.
Yes I would consider EVs if they could get better mileage like the the Tesla from a charge and less time to charge.
I drive an auto so would not take issue with the power plant being electric if it had similar range, costs and maintenance requirements as a combustion engine. I suspect some advocates of manual transmissions may be put off. As far as I know most ev’s don’t adopt a manual gearbox.
Range; see my comments elsewhere.
Costs? You will save BIG money moving to electric. Not only is electricity much cheaper than petrol, you have virtually no servicing with an electric car. My Tesla all-in running costs are 1.8p/mile. My previous car was 11p/mile.
In an EV, there is none of the stuff a petrol car has as I said elsewhere: Air filter, oil filter, cam belt, spark plugs, gaskets, exhausts, clutch……….the list goes on. New EVs don’t even have a 12v battery!
So much less to go wrong.
Your servicing is basically screenwash and tyre pressures. Every 3 years power steering fluid and a cabin pollen filter. That really is it.
“A Tesla Model S has fewer than 150 moving parts, including the drive train, windows, controls, suspension and doors. A typical internal combustion engine car has about 10,000.” (from Quora.com)
What you have failed to say is how much your Tesla cost….and we haven’t even got to discussing the batteries. The oil will run out, but so will the lithium!
How about looking a perpetual motion with pure water as the fuel, splitting to hydrogen and oxygen – just like we all did at school, burn it, collect the water vapour from the exhaust and start again. Yes it would be complicated to scale down for a car, but given the R&D it could be done.
The IF-Battery would answer what is to me the main drawback with electric vehicles. Not range (which is what manufacturers bang on about) but refueling time. Currently I can refuel my petrol car in a few minutes, but recharging an electric car takes hours – not good in the middle of the night in a strange town miles from home. Get this technology to work and I’m definitely interested!
At the moment I feel that electric cars are summertime inner city runabouts. There is still a lot of work to be done on the power source. At the moment I think that some form of hybrid is the best solution.
I would need to be convinced that the folowing points had been discussed and resolved so that the vehicle produced would be safe and fit for purpose
How corrosive is the “fuel” for the IFbattery, it is battery acid is it not, and how safe is it if the vehicle w,as involved in an accident? Some power storage technologies may be safer than others, what are the other options.
Will the “battery” still be able to be charged from mains hookup.?
What is the lifetime of the battery and how much would it cost to replace, normal car batteries last about 5 years according to the manufacturers.
What happens in the winter time , how is heating the vehicle achieved how many kilowatts?, also in really hot weather how is the air conditioning implemented bearing in mind the compressor in the refridgeration unit can consume 50 Amperes at 12 Volts i.e. 600 Watts.
How does the amount of pollution generated by the power station in charging the battery compare with the pollution generated by a petrol engine( with a device to stop the engine wilst the car is not moving) of a similar power output.
Will there be enough power available to tow a caravan/trailer.
I appreciate that using a battery to power a vehicle removes the pollution from the point of use of the vehicle, but at the moment it puts severe power restrictions on that vehicle, so from my point of view the technology will have to change dramatically to make this form of transport viable as a general purpose vehicle
“Will there be enough power available to tow a caravan/trailer.”
An electric car produces one hell of a lot more torque than a petrol/diesel car. That’s why they do 0-60 in a few seconds. Tesla’s new semi (truck) is powered by a number of Model 3 car motors. Say no more.
“How does the amount of pollution generated by the power station in charging the battery compare with the pollution generated by a petrol engine”
Even if your electricity came from 100% coal an EV would STILL be cleaner than petrol. Don’t forget that to refine oil into petrol/diesel take a LOT of electricity – so much that to refine oil to 1 gallon of petrol uses the same amount of electricity to move an EV over 20 miles. Think about that.
Here in the UK we have virtually no coal power now. My old diesel Renault did about 140g/CO2 per mile. My Tesla works out at about 40g/CO2 per mile. When its sunny or windy, and the grid has a lot of renewables, it can be as low as 20g/mile.
“What happens in the winter time , how is heating the vehicle achieved how many kilowatts?,”
My Tesla uses a few hundred watts. It’s insignificant.
“but at the moment it puts severe power restrictions on that vehicle,”
No it absolutely does not. An EV will out-accelerate almost any other car. Even a Nissan Leaf can beat most cars to 60. You need to do some research! My Tesla will do 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds. You’re welcome to a ride if you live in the UK.
Edward, you make some really good points but what is the overall cost of owning your Tesla including purchase price, depreciation and cost of replacing the vehicle compared to owning a conventional car please?
Are you runnimng an electric car just because you care about the environment or is there a real overall cost saving?
I have run a Toyota Prius hybrid (non-rechargeable) for over 4 years. At present, it seems to be the best compromise between the high emissions of fossil fuels and the shortcomings of battery-only vehicles. It gives an overall 56 mph with less than 100 mgm/litre emission. I know some diesels get close to that but, as mentioned above, the Prius performs to this level with an automatic gearbox and is also a fairly big car.
I would consider battery-only when they give at least 300 mile range and/or 15-minute recharging.
Unless there’s a specific reason you need 15 minute charging, then a 300 mile range car (why that number?) is almost here. Nissan’s new Leaf and the Tesla Model 3 for example.
Think about how you use a car.
I drive 2000 miles a month in my Tesla, up and down the motorways of the UK. Range isn’t an issue, and charge speed likewise. Superchargers on motorways, or at home overnight on cheap rate electric.
I’ve done rural Wales, Scottish highlands and everywhere inbetween. No worries.
This article is nonsense.
95% of journeys are under 27 miles per day. Well within range of every EV on the market today. 98% are under 40 miles. Again, no issue.
Charge speed? What do you do when you get home? You plug it in. Let it charge overnight when you’re asleep. Using cheap rate electricity you can fully charge a Tesla with 240 mile range for under £4.50. A Nissan leaf costs under £2 for 100 miles. Got solar PV at home? Electricity might even cost you next to nothing over a year.
Stop thinking like a petrol car driver – EVs ARE DIFFERENT! No more petrol stations, no more cam belts, exhausts, oil changes, spark plugs, air filters, clutches, gearboxes…………..you probably won’t even change a set of brake pads in the time you own the car.
There are plenty of good EVs out now, and a LOT more coming soon. The “range” thing is a misnomer. Do the maths for yourself and you’ll probably find one to suit you now.
Feel free to send me any questions. I’m lucky enough to have a Tesla and love it.
So living in a second floor flat with no opportunity to charge at home, and the nearest tesla charging point over 30 miles from home, in a direction I never travel in ….. would anyone recommend I change to electric? Most of my journeys are less than 30 miles round trip so I’d have to go miles out of my way to get a charge … a 60 mile round trip at least.
I’d love to go electric but how practical is it for people like me?
I have had a ride in a Tesla -very impressed, but not surprised as I race r/c electric cars and fly electric r/c aircraft using Lithium cells but discovered that small is cheap and big gets much more expensive. I have a 4 year old Fiesta 1.6 econetic Diesel for £6000, no tax, up to 85 mpg, 6000 miles a yr. How can I beat these cheap to run costs with electric with very high car costs not to mention battery replacements over the life of the car as the performance drops off and Electronic Speed Controls, motors? (I have smoked a few -easy) Looking for economy.
Hi I have a 2014 Vauxhall Ampera up to 50 miles on electric and 310 miles on petrol so a good range in the car.
Goverment grant is £500 GBP plus my £208 part payment for installation and charger to my house and now I never go to a petrol station no need any more. I own my batteries they came with the car, problems with the batteries, it is a myth put out by people who do not drive a EREV it is a fantastic car and very cheap to run and no road tax a great plus in my eyes.