- cross-posted to:
- technology@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- technology@lemmy.world
" CATL has thrown its hat into the ring with the Naxtra sodium-ion battery, with 175 Wh/kg and 10,000 lifetime cycles along with operation from -40°C to 70°C. CATL is planning a start-stop battery for trucks using the technology. It has the potential to replace lead-acid batteries. CATL has announced battery pricing at the cell level in volume at $19/kWh. "
It’s not stupid. Being out five figures for a battery replacement is a real fear for a lot of people. Someone asked the dealership how much it would cost to get a battery replacement on an E-Tron and the answer was 70k USD once out of warranty. They cost 30k and less for the older ones and they’re still in warranty.
It’s unlikely to happen but if it does it makes your whole car a paperweight. This isn’t nearly as bad with ICEs where by the time catastrophic failure is even slightly likely, parts are so cheap you can get an engine for a few grand if not just a few hundred. Even a used battery for said E tron is 20 grand. My entire car cost me under 2k, less than some HYBRID batteries let alone BEV batteries.
This axe hanging above your head is what I’m hoping sodium batteries would solve. You don’t have to worry about “what if the battery starts deteriorating rapidly now that it’s out of warranty and I don’t have 30k to spend on it” if the battery costs 5k new and 1k used in good condition.
Batteries have outliers that don’t last long as well as those that last several times longer than projected. Same as ICEs. It’s just a very expensive lottery to win right now.
Technology Connections and Hank Green have been shouting this for a while, but that whole issue is way overblown. Some first gen EVs around 2010 had issues, but every major manufacturer since then has way exceeded expectations on battery lifetime thanks to advanced BMS and thermal controls. Car batteries don’t just rapidly degrade out of the blue, the tech has nothing in common with what’s in your phone. But public sentiment has not caught up because most people think Li-Ion = smartphone = dead after 2-5 years, so second hand EVs are way undervalued. Which is great for buyers.
It’s not like you can’t easily total a second-hand ICE by mechanical failure. Just ask anyone who own(ed) a puretech engine. If you went by manufacturer recommendations, the fucking thing might just eat your timing belt one day and grenade itself. And there’s no way a full engine swap on a 5-10 year old economy car is economically viable.
There’s always something that could go wrong when you buy a car. Unless you get comprehensive insurance and warranty, you need to accept the fact that losing the entire car to an accident, catastrophic mechanical failure, or theft is always a risk. If that’s too much anxiety to deal with, get a lease.