Episode Transcript
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0:00
Hello I'm Robert. Well in and
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welcome to a special podcast take
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Quentin Wilson. That was some of
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day. Welcome.
0:49
To another Stop Burning Stuff podcast
0:51
with me Quincy Wilson and today
0:53
I'm going to be talking to.to
0:55
you and Turk of Plug Live
0:58
Television who is an electric chemist
1:00
and battery engineer And you and.
1:03
Like. Me has been driving a
1:05
even since two thousand and nine
1:07
so where are you know that
1:09
doubt he banned if of early
1:11
adopters who went through that whole
1:14
journey of these cars that that
1:16
you know we're we're we're doing
1:18
any fifty miles to and charge
1:20
and stuff like that and and
1:22
and you and did a phd
1:24
on next generation lithium chemistries at
1:26
some time druze an Oxford so
1:28
everything you ever wanted to know
1:31
about he the batteries. He is
1:33
your man. So let's let's begin
1:35
you and with that that that
1:37
That first very obvious myth that
1:39
we hear so much is that
1:41
he the batteries don't last that
1:44
you need to replace them every
1:46
sort of for five years and
1:48
it cost the price of the
1:50
car. So tell me about the
1:52
longevity we're seeing from these first
1:55
Jen batteries I Clinton. So I'm
1:57
kind of living proof of this
1:59
because. I have a Tesla
2:01
sitting on the driveway. The Dicks from
2:03
Twenty Fifteen is clocked up a hundred
2:06
and thirty thousand miles and I'm have
2:08
only known it. From. About
2:10
ninety thousand miles old but I've
2:12
not seen it. Did read his range.
2:15
any sense that I reckon it has
2:17
lost at most ten percent of
2:19
it's a reasonable range versus when you
2:21
still does, It is easy to hundred
2:24
plus miles per charge. Is
2:26
go into that guys and. Based
2:28
on a battery pack from Twenty Fifteen
2:30
which is based on a cell chemistry
2:32
from the early twenties. hands. If we
2:35
have a look at the chemistries that
2:37
are coming, others lives today or should
2:39
I say the Kennedys are coming off
2:42
with production lines are going into electric
2:44
vehicles today. the everything Further improvements in
2:46
the race to take addition. using that
2:48
even further and that combines with greater
2:51
understanding of how to manage about it
2:53
comes to keep it at his optimum
2:55
temperature, not just tooling. it's to which.
2:58
Away sheets before it can cause any
3:00
kind of damage. For also a heating
3:02
it's to optimum temperature not just if
3:04
the weather is particularly cold outside but
3:06
as it's about to approach about the
3:08
charger so that they can take on
3:10
maximum power possible. So actually we've we've
3:12
learned quite a lot about how the
3:14
not just chilling that actually him to
3:16
get rid of hitting a strategically at
3:18
the right choice at all of this
3:20
adds up to very conservatively. We
3:23
estimate the B B C three hundred
3:25
thousand plus miles lifespan. I was modern
3:27
electric vehicle batteries and in fact if
3:30
we want an accelerated aging tests reasonable
3:32
looted see Ember Electric Intercity bosses the
3:34
her running. Between. Dundee and
3:37
Edinburgh and Glasgow and back on
3:39
one charge run track of these
3:41
it undies. The oldest of those
3:43
buses have clocked up over six
3:45
hundred and fifty thousand kilometers on
3:47
battery power alone, and out of
3:49
the their batteries are of the
3:52
state itself as I'm in other
3:54
words, the capacity as today there
3:56
says when they produce is somewhere
3:58
in the high eighties. Though he
4:00
sees batteries are not degrading anywhere near
4:02
as quickly as they they are the
4:04
naysayers would have he and it is
4:06
older into the fact that the bush
4:08
chemistries we have an electric vehicles are
4:11
a different breed, not just in terms
4:13
of the exact chemistry, the, the quality
4:15
of production and the quality of the
4:17
way that are managed versus batteries that
4:19
we haven't. Smart phones, laptops,
4:21
the zebra literally for general and some of
4:23
the more kind of purely bill he bikes
4:25
and hover boards stuff the causing issues and
4:28
such as a totally totally different James yes
4:30
this lithium ions but there's a lot to
4:32
read into on the exact title. Suggests.
4:35
To be cleared. And as an electric
4:37
chemist who's who's done a Phd on
4:39
on Betty degradation, you're saying that that
4:41
that leads to the life expectancy of
4:43
of a modern a lithium ion battery
4:45
in an electric car is up to
4:47
three hundred thousand miles. Or I mean
4:50
that's being completely conservative. I wouldn't be
4:52
surprised in the slightest if they go
4:54
over that. I mean if you look,
4:56
for example, at Ten a Tesla, give
4:58
claims for a while that they have
5:00
a one million mile battery And fact
5:02
some of the latest chemistry says if
5:04
Im working. On was just an Uzi.
5:06
our research to the chest and is more
5:08
than just that. The One Nine this very
5:11
subtly the left and I can assume that
5:13
groups over and Dell has a university in
5:15
Canada. They've worked with Tesla for many years
5:17
now and they claimed that developed a four
5:20
million mile battery Know admittedly that the Cycles
5:22
thirty two savagely and it was her. A
5:24
little sale at large scale wasn't a battery
5:27
pack. Commercial scale
5:29
but the underlying alleged chemistry is that
5:31
she was from see signs of be
5:33
able to skills will get. Even more
5:35
lifespan and we're looking at basically the
5:37
that she got outlasting the car these
5:40
days with modern electric vehicles rolling off
5:42
with production lines. If you don't manage
5:44
to get the a city to our
5:46
last the sassy you are either. I'm
5:49
living in a very dry climate that doesn't
5:51
get any salt hundred on the roads and
5:53
degrade the chassis not way or you have
5:55
done something spectacularly wrong in the way that
5:58
you've designed to a city bus with. So
6:00
much experience Know and by we I mean
6:02
that the automotive industry or how to design
6:04
a battery properly. That the odds
6:06
of that kind of early degradation of
6:09
are are quite slim pointed. A sounders
6:11
think that the outlier, the exception to
6:13
this rule is the very first Nissan
6:16
Leaf. He also fitted something clever with
6:18
the battery chemistry it didn't have cool
6:20
and at an hour or if it's
6:22
as if is hardly any and wishes
6:25
is good from an ethical perspective. But.
6:28
Unfortunately that chemistry wasn't particularly temperature solar
6:30
it and of his new thermal energy
6:32
systems within actively to itself with air
6:35
or water or be able to present
6:37
school was it even the even the
6:39
early mitzvah she's in Persia Iron Deficiency
6:42
Zeroes had a cooling but those the
6:44
early leaves didn't did they know know
6:46
and that this was the beach don't
6:49
fall of innocently sinister least as borderline
6:51
mechanically indestructible and that's why when I
6:53
got my Tesla and which dates from
6:55
the days when test for the still.
6:58
Trying to learn how to make a talking
7:00
are very good at making batteries motors but
7:02
not so much and they can the rest
7:04
of the car so you know in terms
7:06
of reliability still better than any Paschal car
7:08
have had but it's a silly things go
7:10
wrong with only cases and my point is
7:12
that to I kept my least partly because
7:15
I knew it was just the indestructible and
7:17
dependable and reliable. And it has
7:19
been a not been all over the
7:21
place that the cecile able to trust
7:23
them to journeys as he really wanted
7:25
to just it's charging more often because
7:27
as an older ones for the problem
7:29
with a recess that the the battery
7:31
pack doesn't have that several management and
7:33
is never as several management despite buyers
7:35
so Cns and pleading with some please
7:37
for the sake of five hundred quid
7:39
pro vehicle to in a proper liquid
7:41
refrigerant systems and that means of these
7:43
batteries a less so much longer but
7:45
yet the original leaf that have vegetation
7:47
issues enough was. Exposed on top gear
7:49
and I think of his party beginners was
7:52
just trying to get a very heavily degraded
7:54
Mark One. This on least to do our
7:56
balls and grand prix or something like this
7:59
Massacre The Charger. The way through because
8:01
the race without delay thirty miles per
8:03
charge. That was probably the worst example
8:05
to they could find of the worst
8:08
example with electric vehicle for for a
8:10
shooting at. Them. Said. Let
8:12
let let let's just understand why this
8:14
mess about back to the glaciers so
8:17
embedded it's still there. You still see
8:19
people I had taken Mpm of on
8:21
twitter. he was saying that they any
8:23
last five years me that keep replacing
8:25
and I do on my constituents that
8:27
to be poor and cold I'm. Why
8:30
don't more people know about this? Is
8:32
it. Is it. Have we failed in
8:35
our message jenks as the industry failed?
8:37
Because if you're seven frantic about this,
8:39
I'm an An. and three hundred thousand
8:42
miles is is longer than most combustion
8:44
engines will last, and certainly they wouldn't
8:46
have that that ninety nine fact that
8:48
efficiency and why are we we we
8:51
know knowing this small more broadly. Honestly,
8:54
I think quite a lot of the blame. Lies.
8:57
With said mainstream journalism from lasting
8:59
because there's just not enough much
9:01
effort to educate themselves on reality
9:03
as a matter arcs to as
9:05
they do not. a Reality of
9:07
the Masters Educate the public on
9:09
that because it offers a kind
9:11
of censor certain agenda support and.
9:13
What? With with seats just as continuous and
9:16
have peddling of of the same old
9:18
mr such as a come up again
9:20
and again and again but also and
9:22
types of the members of the public
9:24
have if you've never had an electric
9:26
vehicle before but of course you how
9:28
to more powerful you've had a laptop,
9:30
the hada, a hover boards or something
9:32
like this seems seen how quickly of
9:34
lithium ion battery and that degrees and
9:36
this is badly managed. a sin. To
9:39
she's the voltage is higher than an electric
9:41
vehicle which on an individual cell that will
9:43
push me says integrates faster It doesn't keep
9:45
them. To I which as we
9:47
just disgusts causes issues with degradation the
9:50
center of the hardware and you know
9:52
and also you'll send to find some
9:54
of that. The current draw for example
9:57
can be a dick more extreme, particularly
9:59
on some. The recent examples like
10:01
Faiths and You they'll to push Daddy
10:03
I see rates in other words with
10:05
power be drawn from it versus the
10:08
energy the that that sell to takes
10:10
so I'm on electric vehicle. It's a
10:12
very very casual existence for a Lithium
10:15
myself but in some other applications to
10:17
be quite extreme under constant exposure to
10:19
high temperatures, idle for just saw and
10:21
then people conflate an inner ear your
10:24
consider electronics batteries which also largest through
10:26
the made in terms of the electric
10:28
industry and production lines. And so on
10:30
and comparison to let you be commercially the
10:32
conflict news with electric vehicle batteries in the
10:35
soon Well this phone behaves in this manner
10:37
so this will ensure equal the also have
10:39
lithium ion batteries will be in this manner
10:41
to not true. Too I
10:43
think that more or secondly and
10:45
mainstream journalists need to the. Actually
10:48
in of delving into this properly and
10:50
having a look at the likes of
10:52
the of the Test for High Mileage
10:54
club for him and his other reason
10:56
have done very high mileage assuming a
10:58
perfect example, on with it or are
11:00
on original then was a way to
11:02
twenty two kilowatt hours a week. On
11:05
which has been doing the rounds in
11:07
Turkey as a taxi so am fairly
11:09
hot climate and ended the several management
11:11
or nice just be directing the air
11:13
conditioning over the battery packs with blows
11:16
on it. To particular don't have
11:18
nowhere near as good liquid they several management
11:20
system again the thing with into kinda six
11:22
figures those of kilometer it you will be
11:24
in this case rather than mileage and the
11:26
the should use the still say that the
11:29
high her and she was a few years
11:31
ago this reported know for the point is
11:33
that even the older more kind of rudimentary
11:35
electric vehicles years always your Bmw Ice visa
11:37
cetera are still go into distance and we
11:40
need to be something that from rooftops because.
11:42
She's older movies could do that. then
11:45
the new stuff is coming out. This
11:47
could be even more capable of last
11:49
even longer for two reasons. One against
11:51
is better and I also the back
11:53
in I suspect the also to the
11:55
basic that is bigger of the amount
11:57
of power required to do. Kiwi
12:00
he retiring uses like for example twenty Killer
12:02
was roughly to sustain three can't see sixty
12:04
miles an hour on a road that still
12:07
going to be the same but should pass.
12:09
he is bigger with me to doesn't need
12:11
to work hard to do that was me
12:13
just degrading less so it's just get as
12:15
much as getting better all the time. Let's
12:18
talk about and repair ability
12:20
will we? Can.
12:22
Come to stage where we can
12:24
take these packs to pieces and
12:26
change change models. Is
12:29
already happening so there are certain
12:31
source party providers who are either
12:33
did elephants and repair processes and
12:35
this is quite common for him
12:37
for some members of for example have
12:39
rather hybrid and electric vehicle repaid
12:41
alliance of which clearly he's probably that
12:43
the jewel in the trying to
12:45
the most well known even have mobile
12:48
mechanics is you have visited my
12:50
house on many occasions so m yes
12:52
there are there are some companies
12:54
who could potentially drop the battery to
12:56
do proper kind of diagnostic soreness
12:58
replace. A faulty module because most
13:00
way to be called actually banks are made
13:03
up have little building block and all kind
13:05
of fit together to don't need to. Sauces
13:07
are bad for you can just replace part
13:09
of the or alternatively you can swap him.
13:12
He. Replaced with Ashley back entirely if
13:14
the sales have degraded to the point.
13:17
Six. Universally degraded as not usually one or
13:19
two of have gone before addresses and if
13:21
the degraded to the point that yeah okay
13:23
this is not and eat it is no
13:25
use for me anymore not getting be raised
13:28
the I need then your options are either
13:30
sell it to someone who needs a shorter
13:32
raised as quick a lot of very all
13:34
the these that ended up and retirement in
13:36
Orkney and where there's very small islands very
13:38
small to beauty salon and they believe they're
13:40
very happily and it's also nice to claim
13:42
that is well so what some very well
13:44
for those original this at least with a
13:47
stylus point. Eight, however, The the
13:49
other option you've got his to upgrade the
13:51
battery and again there are companies who not
13:53
only the take for example, Had. An
13:55
original Nissan Leaf within. Twenty four? What Was
13:57
Twenty Four? Killer? Whatever. Once upon a time,
14:00
Actually that heavily degraded and swapped
14:02
out. For say the foresee
14:04
kilowatt hour battery from the new least
14:06
that was also companies to I can't
14:08
disclose the moment but there are are
14:11
very subtle the people working on aftermarket
14:13
grades which would not only get a
14:15
boost the capacity that is why I
14:17
just mentioned of the but also hopefully
14:20
introduced proper thermal management where does require
14:22
and that means that these otherwise mechanically
14:24
perfectly intact indestructible machines because the saw
14:26
the sought to go wrong with somebody
14:29
really isn't a lot of cases be
14:31
or exactly yes to that no interest.
14:33
In enough so that they city go
14:35
and and this will allow these electric
14:37
vehicles to keep going and I can
14:40
tell you know that as the Uk
14:42
market decides owner would rather have the
14:44
latest shiny think there are plenty of
14:46
other right hand drive markets to these
14:48
vehicles will be supported to with those
14:51
and third party. That report updates
14:53
and a fantasy and quite a lot
14:55
of this happening our or the beginnings
14:57
of this happening in Australia, New Zealand
14:59
where I'm in Australia Finally got on
15:01
board with Renewables A D V. So
15:03
this is is making up for lost
15:05
time to aspect of two weeks. New
15:08
Zealand is an underserved market where they're
15:10
heavily rely on Japanese imports. Japan has
15:12
not been as take on electric vehicles
15:15
apparently because the so little off street
15:17
parking and so much of the communal
15:19
car parks are actually these that a
15:21
futuristic kind of robotic elevators you drive
15:23
the car on analytics up again parks
15:25
it somewhere so the up the acts
15:28
of plugging the of equal in what
15:30
is in one of those robots i
15:32
start box is actually quite difficult. Switches
15:34
fly. Hybrids have been more popular in
15:36
Japan an electric vehicles. That there is
15:39
a trickle of them available. but in terms
15:41
of getting up to scratch and importing those
15:43
you feel into struggling they could easily see
15:45
facts and go okay. What Britain fallen out
15:47
of favor with was it was a the
15:50
Old Hat by their Sanders. Okay with developed
15:52
an aftermarket battery packs or Been or someone
15:54
else who has will just import the law
15:56
figure altogether and you're ready to go hand.
15:59
In terms of. Importing second and
16:01
electric vehicles from the Uk? That
16:03
something is already happening in Tasmania.
16:05
As. Well. So. I get that
16:07
see the eagles will keep going and
16:10
they will have very robust revival happy
16:12
life elsewhere if we decide which other
16:14
Hathaway to shiny think but as actually
16:16
surprisingly also market for doing this year
16:18
to with taxi drivers the quite like
16:20
that all these apart from that actually
16:22
starting to degrade we that so the
16:24
i actually feel something on the door
16:27
These companies have seen. Can. We
16:29
help especially that doctor. he can have the if
16:31
you could swap Yes we can buy shiny new
16:33
vehicle to be like this one. We trust that
16:35
we know it works. For. This is
16:37
a moment is now in in in
16:39
the history of of of the car.
16:41
Where are we looking at something that's
16:44
that's been a much much longer life
16:46
expectancy than a combustion cars and is
16:48
Hugh Grant rightly say the receive you
16:50
moving parts said there are so few
16:52
suit few few component failures in it.
16:55
You can can improve upgrade the battery
16:57
so it can do five hundred thousand
16:59
seven hundred thousand a million miles. Then
17:01
it is. It's a car citizens virtually
17:03
will last forever. Oh
17:06
yeah, no doubt any. Was this a
17:08
very strong sense that sounds his would
17:10
have to replace the Shashi before you
17:12
have to replace the Not you The
17:14
Victory or than the motor and many
17:16
of these vehicles. And in fact that's
17:19
why that is actually until very recently
17:21
until the most recent kind of glut
17:23
of secondhand east became available because all
17:25
of the Candy Company car leases ended
17:27
at the same time after for years
17:29
of the Tesla Model Three being on
17:32
the market, etc and. As
17:34
recently as Twenty Twenty Two and someone
17:36
God that's awful happy and rats their
17:38
electric car around to treat it as
17:41
a fierce bidding war over the past
17:43
and the motor you find that would
17:45
inevitably end up going to people who
17:48
retrofit classic cars to electric propulsion. so
17:50
even if he's eagles have clocked up
17:52
considerable knowledge. People. Know people
17:55
in the no no for those batteries
17:57
are in good condition that most recently
17:59
tradition. That can reap our a
18:01
cherished classic vehicle or a a nice
18:03
vehicle added you see the equal of
18:06
some description. Says that you
18:08
ever beloved see you in Is Is
18:10
is important on a number of levels
18:12
but not least the insurance as well
18:15
which is now being a big issue
18:17
for these and insurance companies else because
18:19
they don't understand the technology or just
18:21
even with a small dent on a
18:24
on a on a battery pack casing
18:26
writing the whole car off said if
18:28
we can as establish this this this
18:31
aftermarket hopefully with with with with corporation
18:33
from their yams we can lower insurance
18:35
premiums by making those batteries. Repairable
18:37
after accidents. How. Easily
18:40
yeah. And as not just the case
18:42
of missing and repairable is making insurance
18:44
companies aware that they are already repairable
18:46
and and created. I think this is
18:48
quite a lot of onus on insurance
18:50
companies and the repair workshops for they
18:52
work with whether it's and house or
18:54
third party to get the skills required
18:56
to do that. It's as lazy off
18:58
Any once it's is to sit back
19:00
and say well we don't know what
19:02
we're doing with this technology super. Just
19:04
gonna check out the premium know don't
19:06
deserve such a silly you know as
19:09
as you. Want to stay in business if you
19:11
want to be relevant? Feel this
19:13
is your. This is actually your
19:15
business. It is your responsibility. To.
19:17
Get that training to get that knowledge and there are
19:19
people out there who can help. And for what it's
19:22
worth, There. Are One or food
19:24
insurance companies who are starting to
19:26
look seriously into these requirements? They
19:28
are reaching out to people in
19:30
the know and an attempt to
19:33
to get this understanding. Yes, I
19:35
Voltage Electronics. and yes, it's High
19:37
Voltage Electrical says well, as you
19:39
say, it's an American disaster. Concerns
19:41
about batteries in if you've been.
19:44
A massive massive crush at the battery. Self
19:46
esteem physically damaged which to be honest with
19:48
me to be a horrific cross because it's
19:51
the best presented part of the secret passage
19:53
of for enough anyway. yeah, completely know exactly
19:55
spot To be honest, the so many as
19:57
you say you know at the be a.
20:00
Motion and some insurance companies or
20:02
right coffee sequels had it means
20:04
to these reach professors I mentioned
20:06
earlier and these can assisted life.
20:11
Or just laughing their way to the back
20:13
to select. Excellent thought The called only a
20:15
few thousand miles We know that she's in
20:17
great condition and we know that that kind
20:20
of fastest doesn't damage of ushered. So yeah
20:22
we will bite out of here for. Super.
20:25
Cheap and then you will will secure
20:27
into this energy story system. but is
20:29
that Such was the center francis bidding
20:31
war over. You. T V Batteries
20:33
until we started see this this
20:35
last reply on the secondhand market
20:37
that as recently as Twenty Twenty
20:39
two according to the fantastic analysts
20:41
at Circular Energy Storage Research at
20:43
the Hands Out now and his
20:45
friend of everything electrically charged to
20:47
stop burning us and so I
20:49
just at least twenty twenty to
20:51
use electric vehicle batteries from crash
20:53
all these vehicles, etc. Set
20:56
up to twice what they cost to the
20:58
manufacturer when they were new. Yeah I
21:00
mean I've seen the money Betty you know
21:02
ten thousand pounds for a modern three
21:04
battery pack and and and six thousand fans
21:07
for even a least wait for could
21:09
what packs a Us these did the off
21:11
the market is is ready books Let's
21:13
let's move on to Fires is another very
21:15
very very an embedded mates that you
21:17
know you you're more likely to catch foreign
21:20
a D V than a combustion car.
21:22
Tell us how how nonsensical that is You.
21:24
And. Thirty Am
21:26
if we have a look at
21:28
the statistics and an electric vehicle
21:30
is between twenty and sixty times
21:32
less likely to catch fire on
21:34
an internal combustion engine vehicle. And
21:36
that's based on statistics from Sweden
21:38
and from the Us and other
21:40
countries will tell you pretty much
21:42
the same that we somewhere within
21:44
that at a ballpark and on
21:46
also within some of those statistics
21:48
there are some important to situation.
21:50
So for example, Sweden saw the
21:52
same number of electric vehicle fires.
21:54
Here on year I think this was twenty twenty
21:57
one to twenty twenty two is it wasn't if
21:59
is within. The years of the enemy
22:01
the point is same numbers as a fecal
22:03
fires a letter people forest but. With.
22:06
An increased number of electric vehicles on
22:08
the road. So actually the odds of
22:10
your electric vehicle catching fire were decreasing.
22:12
as the vehicle park, the vehicle fleet
22:14
was increasing. And the other
22:16
consideration as I've already has a dig
22:19
at He Bikes and Hover Boards has
22:21
one and the great and principal for
22:23
there are too many, the are badly
22:25
designed and badly manufactured and artist your
22:27
life urges as well. Oh god yeah
22:29
yeah to the charger is an issue
22:31
with them as well. If you buy
22:33
cheap you potentially by settle with He
22:35
Bikes Hover Boards. You need to make
22:37
sure that they are properly made a
22:39
bronze between reliable products because. Quite.
22:42
Often those to say statistics get
22:44
shocked and with electric vehicle and
22:46
know that as a totally totally
22:48
different type of quality of manufacturing
22:51
isn't military quality for electric cars
22:53
and houses etc and also for
22:55
your your teeth nasty he thought
22:58
it somewhere online. For
23:00
the cover for to the vice so it's
23:02
important not to confuse those two. And as
23:04
the other thing about electric vehicle fires and
23:06
fan. And. I remember a
23:08
recent parties with Easy Physicists have
23:11
is a fantastic to the statistic
23:13
in there something like forty
23:15
percent of electric vehicle Firestone actually
23:18
involve the battery and in one
23:20
scenario that as an entire building
23:22
fun go around the electric
23:24
car and they didn't catch fire.
23:27
Science know we're starting to look
23:29
at batteries the aren't even
23:31
flammable. So yes we've been using
23:34
Lithium Nicole Cobalt Manganese Oxide. Far
23:36
as you. Most. Of the most
23:38
of the the twenty times we prefer eating
23:41
at the day for long range electric vehicles
23:43
for n and see if you managed properly
23:45
is perfectly fine for if you do something
23:47
really stupid like drill straight through it but
23:50
it's to charge. Yes, it's going it very
23:52
quickly. Red hot gas the catches fire. Never
23:55
know. Starting to see Lithium are phosphates
23:57
starting to be offered? In fact the
23:59
other. Knowing electric vehicles of the
24:01
Uk as L A P option so
24:03
that last year with the Tesla Model
24:06
White and the entry for additionally be
24:08
why these letter the Eagles Tesla Model
24:10
Three, Maxus Electric Van Susteren and electric
24:12
buses like Embers they use L S
24:14
P. A voice that importantly
24:16
explain the L. If he doesn't have
24:19
Cobalt, it doesn't It's less. I'm lucky
24:21
to have thermal runaway correct. Correct. So
24:23
not only is it more ethical causes
24:25
new Cobalt was no Nickel is basically
24:28
Lithium plus rusted vet fertilizer if you
24:30
were at the raw materials, but also
24:32
yes, you could drill straight through it
24:34
and it's fully charged and some versions
24:36
water and hop. Gosh, but we won't
24:39
catch fire. The reason seeing the oxygen
24:41
within the. Old. Feed Us You're
24:43
looking on phosphate. It's. Not
24:46
worth how convenient for the structure than
24:48
others and so there's not much oxygen
24:50
been released as means of is less
24:52
inclined to catch fire and I've seen
24:54
some a music videos of people shooting
24:57
at them whistling source and also i
24:59
try to get caught fire they're just
25:01
not interested at all and then. He
25:04
also kind of compare that to the
25:06
latest stay at the are pushes the
25:08
B Y de Blade cel I wish
25:10
be by the eyes of the electorate
25:12
Beatles each by the Uk today he
25:14
deal street through the school charge to
25:16
the surface temperature doesn't even reached sixty
25:18
degree see no gas new fire The
25:20
video that they did the compared and
25:22
in and see Jill test to a
25:24
B Y de Blade l a federal
25:26
test. About thirty nine seconds
25:28
into the video, If I remember correctly,
25:30
you will hear the sound of an
25:32
anti climax of a little drill going
25:34
through a cell phone. or actually. Getting
25:37
anywhere where that uses his new fire, this new
25:39
guy thing or anything as she stuffed animal squeaking
25:41
noise as it goes to the cell and that's
25:44
it. So. He could properly total
25:46
one of those cars with the
25:48
and far perspective perfectly safe. Your
25:51
battery chemistry continues to evolve. We're
25:53
starting to see Saudi line becoming
25:55
available intellectually because China that again
25:57
is not interested in catching fire.
26:00
And another chemistries on the horizon
26:02
that again either are non flammable
26:04
obviously reduce the odds of Fum
26:06
ability including with some new manufacturing
26:08
techniques for an M C which
26:11
make it became a bit flaky.
26:13
B Y deeply. Pushes.
26:15
His quickly scramble go into the details
26:17
of that the fleet is the ability
26:19
is facing gonna be. Something
26:22
of a of a non issue as we
26:24
move towards the board attack chemistry Only thing
26:26
they pay for far services to know how
26:28
to tackle energy People fire once in a
26:31
blue moon when it happens and those are
26:33
these are be alexander becoming quite promising the
26:35
easy far say or the the true next
26:38
next on this one of the other if
26:40
it's an interesting. Interesting
26:42
and as you progress recently to was.
26:45
Actually putting out and N N C
26:47
electric vehicle fire cracker and using less
26:49
water than you require for casual carfax.
26:52
Enemy. Didn't get it. We go back
26:54
to Two Thousand Nine and the first
26:56
cause electric cars appeared on the market
26:58
for consumers. This is not a long
27:00
time in the in the annals of
27:02
the auto industry and we've we've made
27:05
huge huge progress that seven when and
27:07
how far is the solid state battery
27:09
away. So there's always think Basher
27:11
there's there's quite a few companies working
27:13
on those and actually there's a few
27:15
that has kind of sneakily made their
27:17
way into production. So the so called
27:20
Sandy solid state of the like the
27:22
he does well she's kind of feel
27:24
compromise and away but still as some
27:26
useful feature. So the Mercedes Electric Bendy
27:28
bus which is available and continental Europe
27:30
there is an optional long range battery
27:33
for she said he saw the state
27:35
but it takes longer to charge. Not
27:37
discuss is higher capacity but the see
27:39
rates the maximum power to take on
27:41
this is capacity is lower. Than.
27:44
To conventional lithium ions are
27:46
some I just filled with
27:48
the a solid state battery
27:50
that know electrolyte. It gives
27:53
longer range, know thermal runaway.
27:56
Just go through the did the area
27:58
was on the same answer. We have
28:00
a quick look at a conventional lithium
28:02
ion battery so that could go up
28:04
a benchmark. Compare with we've got a
28:06
your nose which is your negative electrode
28:08
which has a means of sorting lithium.
28:11
Normally. Graphite so carded and then you
28:13
got your positive electrode? was you sure
28:15
you're cathode and that's normally some sort
28:17
of the few metal oxide. So.
28:19
Entered Fiorella feet and that the issue
28:22
with graphite is that some is quite
28:24
both any six carbon offsets to store
28:26
one lithium. The reason he can't use
28:28
pure lithium is because when you pair
28:30
all of that with a liquid electrolytes
28:32
innocent and a separate are just kind
28:34
of polymer. separate. Know. If
28:37
you minds are not inclined to plead
28:39
evenly back onto the auto So they
28:41
create this kind of mountain range which
28:43
ends up treating look branch like drugs
28:45
contained race of pure lithium muscle which
28:47
eventually puncture that little fuzzy polymer separate
28:49
or touch the other electronics. the the
28:52
cost of electrodes and that reason internal
28:54
short circuit been to sell very quickly
28:56
discharges is even if you disconnect the
28:58
call or from where is our it
29:00
as it just keeps up. And
29:02
to fetch gases and catch fire,
29:04
Sasha, or to touch her standing
29:06
against. It's so if you replace the
29:09
liquid electrolyte and the polymer separate or
29:11
with a solid electrolyte, you vastly reduced
29:13
the also that they drive growth and
29:16
it means that you to remove the
29:18
grossly. And. Some of these configurations anyway
29:20
and you can use pure lithium means that
29:22
all the negative electrode all of the and
29:25
is taking place in not really should you
29:27
know the it was actually storing energy rather
29:29
than sort of the stuff the stores energy.
29:31
Still, You vastly improved the energy
29:33
density the American friends and energy
29:35
the to squeeze in to a
29:37
particular volume which is very important
29:40
for alleged towards the limited space
29:42
the streets. So yeah that's the
29:44
advantage of a solid state. And
29:46
as you rightly points out and.
29:48
The. Also that catching fire or greatly
29:50
reduced because you remove the flammable liquid
29:52
and you've replaced it with the soul
29:54
is which in some verses is a
29:57
ceramic so. You know not,
29:59
particularly. In place. They are but you
30:01
know they are still a while away
30:03
from that can of dream. Ultimate saw
30:05
the state cel being reality. There are
30:07
lots of companies are working very hard
30:09
on this of the great progress. the
30:12
Navy blue solutions you gotta essential the
30:14
state one is available and Mercedes bosses
30:16
they are rumors to the trying to
30:18
the faster charging-and for electric cars and
30:20
has also the like records indicate which
30:22
is kind of synonymous with Solar Safe
30:24
Africa well as an affinity for the
30:27
progress of their soul the say self
30:29
a kick occasionally. The stock market
30:31
get statistics by the pace of that progress
30:33
and otherwise they don't think a fast enough.
30:35
But from Electric and Co perspective, trust me
30:37
you want to get this right. They are
30:39
meeting solid progress no pun intended to the
30:42
lose of other startups are there and thirty
30:44
treaties companies you are and. And. Working
30:46
on this you pretty much all that excel
30:48
manufacturers to pick household name slice a household.
30:50
if you already have you tried our household
30:53
names your they They've got their own soul
30:55
estate development programs or have investments in the
30:57
likes of Won't escape the start of the
30:59
are developing solid state. So it's yeah late
31:02
twenties when he's a record before we seasoning
31:04
he beat on the roads. But.
31:06
It's very important that we do this better
31:08
research and development because we've come so far
31:10
and we can go even further and here
31:13
in the Uk and I'm a real. Advocate.
31:16
Of this we got this fabulous
31:18
triumphalist affect. The accident happened we
31:20
with an excuse me for it
31:22
manufacturing route Uk be fair, the
31:24
institution you work to Wmc didn't
31:26
you always And the the Electric
31:28
car has spawned all this research
31:30
and development is billions and billions
31:32
of dollars and pounds going into
31:34
battery research and we've got as
31:36
a country to really promote that
31:38
haven't When we have those skills
31:40
and expertise if you know it's
31:42
just try and tell her listeners
31:44
why that's so important. For
31:46
the general unit automotive industry and and and
31:49
and the general kind of move of technology
31:51
that the that we have to invest in
31:53
the sovereign day what we do. and I
31:55
think it's fair to say that we're doing
31:58
quite a good job of it. Sing
32:00
it up! really early stage of research to develop
32:02
you mentioned W N G and I can tell
32:04
you know that that is just. Really
32:07
want a subsidy for any kind of electrical
32:09
mysticism oozing facility with all the toys you
32:11
could play with as they can even test
32:14
things to description. and yeah they they the
32:16
got everything to possibly want. Others is actually
32:18
that can rebel faction This be say out
32:20
crossroads a college or university. This to be
32:23
crystal clear as well and but this was
32:25
many academic research groups across the Uk coming
32:27
up with amazing U Cel chemistry coming up.
32:30
With a native new modeling for
32:32
bashing on his insistence on also
32:34
says that kind of an. Ecosystem
32:36
This is a lot of to work
32:38
on electric motor suits. This is valuable.
32:41
But. What we need to be doing
32:43
that? Investing in his those companies who
32:45
spin out from those research groups and
32:48
we set up and and try to
32:50
make this at a mass produced scale
32:52
on the scene. Seen anything what the
32:54
Uk is brilliant, the research but rubbish
32:57
at commercialization. We have the engineering talent
32:59
for the management and the lack of
33:01
willingness of investors has led to such
33:03
as seems to be either. If you
33:06
have an amazing new idea and you
33:08
won't see fifty two hundred thousand pounds
33:10
to prove it. A tiny little
33:12
lump scale. The most investors willing to give
33:15
you that money have you got were established
33:17
proven and you want few a few hundred
33:19
million or maybe a billion or to to
33:21
build a geek is actually the money is
33:24
there. From. Various investors and and
33:26
potentially from different support is that fit in
33:28
the middle for your the start off as
33:30
proof to think a tiny little less skill
33:32
and you don't want to build up to
33:34
the see where he confessed that a real
33:36
will still making are a fool elected equal
33:38
to the cheapest. This amazing
33:41
you chemistry that you've developed. For example, a
33:43
you're looking for say five to ten million.
33:46
There's. No investment there. Despite
33:48
the fact that we know that the
33:50
reversers who are willing to invest hundreds
33:52
of millions or billions, those investors Mike,
33:54
my plea to you is. If
33:57
you don't saw invest in the kind of funny
33:59
to ten. Liam and the start ups.
34:01
He will run out of the one
34:03
hundred million civilian companies to invest in.
34:06
Because. Every the people if
34:08
either of those companies. The. Women on
34:11
Design that the fighters and million stated I
34:13
would see not have the Caucasus with think
34:15
was at a meeting. Lithium sulfur battery super
34:17
lightweight. Never in the middle of building a
34:19
scale of facility in Brazil that this could
34:21
be building packs for electric buses, trucks and
34:24
when they run at a financial runway was
34:26
seen it happen without the power. Just recently
34:28
they were working on a cod I sell
34:30
a good idea that a couple of other
34:32
chemistries with we're working on to add that
34:35
has has fallen by the wayside. that was
34:37
the Uk first ever actually factory but some.
34:40
Good news is that no good to
34:42
be making sold estate sales from. He
34:44
just starts out as a week. we
34:46
could easily be that the so many
34:49
exciting use hey possibly sort of who
34:51
would see amazing work with the investment
34:53
and we absolutely need to be doing
34:55
that because otherwise we will to use
34:58
that same forces as a single issue
35:00
monopoly be benefiting directly and that's choose
35:02
for the automotive industry because if we
35:05
have to import everything from overseas men
35:07
that shoes job losses as huge economic
35:09
drain. Bearing in mind that we
35:11
once upon a time got a massive
35:13
automotive para and when it comes to
35:15
nice high performance vehicles, etc, we still
35:17
are. And Formula One formerly
35:20
for example as well but he had
35:22
a week is absolutely be doing mainstream
35:24
electric automotive and that's where the likes
35:26
of the Pasta I protested. Factories River
35:28
Somerset, the expansion of Nyssa Sunderland actually
35:31
get is actually the you the ill
35:33
fated the British For sites and hopefully
35:35
that will end up with their company
35:37
ownership to believe a little into a
35:39
gig. Factories: These are all important because
35:42
I can tell you know the even
35:44
if we end up oversupply the number
35:46
of cells with we end up producing.
35:49
The. If you have a look at
35:51
us and he you and their own
35:53
legislation about it's diversifying the supply chains
35:55
way for China. So true we could
35:57
sell everything we make an eye on
35:59
it. Absolutely fit into any kind
36:01
of investors apologies is listening you
36:03
and is absolutely making a very
36:05
very very good point that would
36:07
really do need to develop our
36:10
battery skills, make them at scale
36:12
and in a protect the auto
36:14
industry and create this this this
36:16
hugely important to public health and
36:18
energy transition and ultimately you know
36:20
that that the lessons we learned
36:22
from for batteries in the these
36:24
we can transport to static get
36:26
your stories which will eventually in
36:28
a power at not. Is towns
36:30
but hopefully all cities and and and
36:32
and balance the great and and and
36:35
store all that renewable energy that we're
36:37
We're we're doing such a good job
36:39
in creating very briefly before before we
36:42
run as time went on. a this
36:44
is a difficult subject so we must
36:46
be swapped. Not making it too complicated
36:49
tell you about is sort of decoupling
36:51
gas from electricity because we're not seeing
36:53
that that that that's cheap cost of
36:55
renewables reflected in our bills you York
36:58
where expert on this. Oh. Yeah,
37:01
yeah, well I mean I have avatar
37:03
down to like Supreme Cooper formerly of
37:05
National Grace when it comes to these
37:07
matters, but from from was doing in
37:10
terms of Muslim sects and patently obvious
37:12
that we could actually condone hour energy
37:14
bills without any subsidies whatsoever answers to
37:16
be an entirely a kind of reform
37:19
of the L existing market in a
37:21
way that benefits everybody's miser. Important, Well,
37:23
obviously you'll know that the price of
37:26
your own electricity bills at home. Any
37:28
one is listening and they are. You
37:30
to see times the price
37:33
they were before prison invaded
37:35
Ukraine. Etc and and
37:37
of like a post put covered as
37:39
well as the price of gas shot
37:41
through the roof and that has taken
37:43
the price of electricity with it and
37:45
that's affected industry to I know for
37:47
a fact that there are actually. Pretty
37:51
big. Battery. Related projects
37:53
that potentially could happen in the Uk
37:55
for are not because people signed it
37:57
if got the money to do this.
38:00
We are worried about the price of
38:02
energy and that's this. This is genuinely
38:04
hampering industry notice taking the next and
38:06
which is of course but our industry
38:08
there are less jobs without jobs that
38:11
you can't afford To the years it
38:13
kills the I energy bills point hence
38:15
the term at the moment the way
38:17
to the wholesale electricity market works is
38:19
that various different generally source whether that's
38:21
wind, solar, hydro, coal dust, nuclear recession,
38:24
And the old days a half Early
38:26
windows to meet the demand is a
38:29
great this forecast for that type of
38:31
this the Paris or that the company
38:33
or degenerates or I should say that
38:35
that's the highest price. The. Such
38:38
the wholesale price that everyone else gets
38:40
paid so wind always been pretty cheap.
38:42
This funnily enough is very cheap energy
38:44
source and he clears a wee bit
38:46
more expensive ssssss are all the way
38:48
up to four used to be one
38:50
of the cheapest for is no sky
38:52
high for the recent richest nation that
38:54
just set the price that everyone else
38:56
this case with as long as is
38:58
often the good. For you and
39:00
up with a horrific wholesale price. And
39:02
it's just holding everyone's around since the
39:04
what we could be doing is the
39:06
to be splitting out the cost of
39:08
gas from the cost of electricity so
39:10
gas to be paid, whatever. He.
39:13
Runs a price. It's being paid or needs
39:15
to be. Pages know. And
39:17
then the next highest price to set the
39:19
wholesale price for everyone else. for that next
39:21
highest price would be so much cheaper. To.
39:24
Say the great was seventy percent
39:26
not gas and thirty percent gas.
39:28
Then to the. Thirty. Percent
39:30
times and extortionate. Also price for gas.
39:33
Costs. Seventy percent times
39:35
a much less extortionate rate for everyone
39:37
else. He calls you wholesale electricity prices
39:39
and that would bring down your costs
39:41
considerably. Have done an episode of Plug
39:43
Like Television it's a nice we infographics
39:45
the explains it much more clearly but
39:48
genuinely he to be looking at substantial
39:50
tens and tens of percent reduction and
39:52
the cost of electricity crisis without saying
39:54
oh, we're just not going to pay.
39:56
Guess what are these? Noble could still
39:58
do that because it's. Our gas
40:00
fired power plants. It's the oil and gas
40:03
extract because how to cheat one jot for
40:05
they're taking advantage of the wholesale market being
40:07
crazy I forgot right now so they are
40:09
laughing that way to the bank with his
40:12
record profits activities and they are lessing in
40:14
your face. See. We basically
40:16
have found a way of at least
40:18
making sure that we get the last
40:20
last by being able to reduce our
40:22
electricity. Terrorists fulfill rewarding the likes of
40:24
Fair Wind Farms and so on, forbidding
40:26
low because inevitably to be another generator,
40:29
they'll pay a little bit higher than
40:31
the cheapest wind farms between formal so
40:33
get paid that race. But.remember what electricity
40:35
prices related And Twenty Twenty Twenty Twenty
40:37
One Silver. Just like that. For.
40:39
For then I should say you know which is still good
40:41
for it's development and so on. But. It's
40:43
good for you from the affordability of your bills. it
40:45
wouldn't quite bring it back to twenty twenty twenty one
40:47
of twenty one levels, but with. Not. A
40:50
huge chunk of it still and also
40:52
because gas the cost of gas would
40:54
remain the same. If you've got ghafar
40:56
Central heating is wants yes you know
40:58
that was still save say the same
41:01
price but it would encourage and households
41:03
you can switch towards heat pump the
41:05
cetera and it would also encourage developers
41:07
to scrap just far boilers for new
41:09
developments which is just ridiculous is some
41:12
companies still doing this and actually couldn't
41:14
dream heating systems or excuse a smart
41:16
idea and of insulation to actually do
41:18
the job. He
41:21
owned a we could we could talk for
41:23
hours on this across a range of subjects.
41:25
A lot have not even begun to take
41:27
all the questions as good was key say
41:29
Look, we ran time Thank you very very
41:32
much indeed. I'm. Just. To recap,
41:34
you know batteries are not degrading.
41:36
They can last up to three
41:38
hundred thousand miles. Batteries are a
41:40
much less likely to catch fire
41:42
than than than combustion cause an
41:44
and we need to reform the
41:46
electricity system for the benefits to
41:49
the economy, to business and to
41:51
public health so looks. I'm just
41:53
tell us how how people can
41:55
can understand more and and and
41:57
and and learn more of your
41:59
your. Your sage advice and tell
42:01
us about Flagler television and and and how
42:03
to get in touch yes of plug my
42:06
television which sham came about because people have
42:08
really good questions were battery tech and ease
42:10
and and quite often to just when guess
42:12
in the answers to they were looking for
42:15
on panel second set of swath of here
42:17
I'm sitting with the spread of information and
42:19
not just from the left the from actually
42:21
driving these machines since two thousand and nine
42:24
So yeah put my television says oh and
42:26
you should have the fact I've just launched
42:28
an exciting new kind of rebooted. Series of
42:31
as teams up with a familiar face
42:33
to the channel Mark Taylor anchors and
42:35
brief which on some interesting kind of
42:37
technical inside geek types including an interview
42:39
with son Williams of the race he
42:41
just recently so see it compare in
42:43
comparison to me with my shaky smartphone
42:45
camera footage it's a lot better and
42:47
of lot better looking but does he
42:49
has a loads of episodes with lots
42:51
of them. Useful infographics to
42:53
explain i'm batteries work and also get
42:55
a waiter energy a T V related
42:58
matters how of the also find me
43:00
on twitter as well of course at
43:02
one affect you and and also something
43:04
spawners the back of Put My finger
43:07
the Spotlight consulting suffering with actually meeting
43:09
a team electric and to cover anything
43:11
whether it's technical, strategic or public outreach
43:14
and whether it's projects to do with
43:16
battery tech, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure or
43:18
static energy source of don't the law
43:21
school and yet as. Great. Being able
43:23
to to mix of the working week I do
43:25
miss the lab on occasion about still go. Very
43:27
good friends who work there and I'm always gets
43:29
up today on the latest developments which is great
43:31
but yeah it's great to be able to help
43:33
out as many of the exciting projects that as
43:35
a half over the last couple years and I
43:37
look forward to continuing. Okay, thank
43:39
you very much Doctor You
43:42
and Turk Britain's real expert
43:44
on batteries. Thank you. Please.
43:46
Support our stop, adding some patrons and
43:48
help us to tackle misinformation about electric
43:51
vehicles and clean energy. Thank you
43:53
was always for listening. You'll find any of
43:55
the links we discussed in the show notes
43:57
and if you enjoyed this episode hearing will.
44:00
The entries from Britain's Best
44:02
Battery Chemist, you please do
44:04
subscribe or share with others.
44:07
If you'd like to find
44:09
out more about Stop Burning
44:11
Stuff for help fund our
44:14
fact sharing mission, you can
44:16
do so at patriot.com/stop Burning
44:19
Stuff. Thank. You. For listening.
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