Electric vehicles: A glimpse of the future

by Carlo Padilla (Content Writer)

The buzz about how climate change is affecting the world has turned the attention of major carmakers to accelerate their swing toward green vehicle models and make electric vehicles (EVs) that match up to the more common internal-combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). To reach a wider market with these eco-friendly vehicles, advanced technological innovations must be made to factors currently swaying consumer appeal away from EVs, such as shorter range, long charging times and limited charging infrastructure. Fortunately, government initiatives that aim to reduce carbon emissions and cutting-edge developments made by OEMs may push these vehicles toward greater adoption.

Image by Blomst from Pixabay

Current market

The EV market showed notable growth even prior to the latest technological developments. Insights from market research and analytics company IHS Markit reports that the global sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and other EVs, starting from $2.5 million in 2020, are set for a 70 percent upswing in 2021. The report credits China with a 44 percent market share and Europe with 28 percent in 2021 and notes that by 2025, global sales will exceed 12.2 million, indicating a CAGR of about 52 percent.

Adoption, however, is challenged by 30 percent higher production costs, compelling manufacturers pushing for higher demand to take a net loss, according to Endava.

What’s new?

Major carmakers trying to boost the popularity of EVs will look to improve upon the existing tech in rechargeable batteries for EVs. According to Forbes, the development of solid-state batteries made of non-combustible, materials and capable of holding 80 percent more charge than current-gen Li-ion batteries, is in the works at Volkswagen. These solid-state batteries are said to retain more than 80 percent of their capacity even after 800 charging cycles.

Meanwhile, Toyota, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit last year, teased its solid-state batteries that offer the capacity to power an EV for 500km of travel – on a single charge that only takes 10 minutes.

Image by (Joenomias) Menno de Jong from Pixabay

Wireless charging

Wireless charging technology has been adopted widely in the field of consumer electronics. While some may consider it to be a niche feature for some products, wireless charging for EVsis a total game-changer as charging pads using wireless technology may be buried beneath where drivers usually park. Quoted in an article published by UK motoring magazine Autocar, Dr. Neale Kinnear, Director of Transport Safety at TRL in the UK, says that from his experience in overseeing a range of EV charging trials, induction charging of EVs "has the potential to make charging a non-event," meaning that charging would become so simple that drivers might not even notice it happen.

Autocar explains that the technology, under development by Witricity, uses an oscillating magnetic field emitted by the charging pad with the same frequency as the EV’s receiver to start the charging process.

Sourcing

Electric vehicles are the future of mobility. A consistent upward trend driven in no small part by the need to save the planet suggests that in the near future, they may be as common as internal combustion engine vehicles, if not more so. As always, sourcing professionals looking to take advantage of this upswing must pay close attention to the latest developments in the technology and keep up with what materials are going to be in heavy demand to sustain production and development.