Figure 6: Growing Demand for Electric Cars
Figure 7: Working Principle of Rechargeable
Lithium Ion Battery.
Norway by 2025, China by 2030, India by 2030,
Germany by 2030, France by 2040 and Britain by
2040 or 2050. To accomplish the mandate, the
Governments are providing numerous incentives
to electric car buyers such as subsidies (to reduce
the car prices to an affordable level), free toll,
road tax exemption, free parking and even relaxed
regulation in issuing driving licenses. These help
attract buyers and will eventually increase market
demand. In addition, many countries (196 nations
until 2019) have signed the Paris Agreement to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel
powered vehicles that encompass CO 2 and CO.
This sets the platform for the electric car as the
sustainable alternative to the non-eco-friendly
fossil fuel powered car. Figure 6 shows the growing
market trend of electric cars which is forecasted
to overtake fossil fuel cars.
University Contribution
The heart of the electric car is the rechargeable
lithium ion battery that supplies power to the
entire system. The high-density battery is durable
and rechargeable for repeated usage. On top
of that, it meet all safety requirements and has
sufficient power storage to cover a good distance
before needing a recharge. Figure 7 illustrates
the lithium ion battery charging and discharging
principle. This breakthrough came from the
various research works performed by passionate
researchers at universities.
Research works on major components of the
rechargeable battery like foil, active materials of
cathode and anode, and electrolyte have greatly
increased the power density, capacity, durability
and rapid charging of lithium ion batteries.
The discovery of a recycling method for the
cathodes of spent batteries has enhanced the
sustainability of the batteries. Active information
sharing and publications of research findings
have laid the foundation for continuous studies,
which contribute to the sustainability of battery
design and performance. Figure 8 shows some
of the important research works on rechargeable
batteries.
Industry Role
The increasing demand for electric cars, supported
by Government policy and new technologies have
excited car makers who have relooked their
business philosophies to venture into developing
the future electric car. Failing to innovate may
reduce their market share and jeopardise
business existence. For example, Tesla and Nissan
have taken the lead in expanding production and
increasing productivity of electric cars. Tesla in
particular has successfully integrated low-cost,
cylindrical lithium ion batteries into its car battery
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