Researchers figured out how to make electric car batteries… from coal?!
Researchers from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have figured out a way to change the dirtiest fuel out there, coal, into materials to help build batteries for new clean vehicles.
The new process turns coal into graphite, which is an important component in electric car batteries. Graphite is used in the anode, which is the negatively charged end of the battery.
While we hear a lot about various other battery materials, such as lithium and cobalt, those materials actually occur in relatively lower quantities in electric car batteries.
The most common material in these batteries is actually graphite (see an infographic here, though this is for NMC-type batteries), so it’s important to ensure that there is a large supply of this material anywhere batteries need to be built.
And one of those places is in the US – thanks to President Joe Biden’s EV policies, there have been hundreds of billions in investment and hundreds of thousands of jobs brought to American manufacturing, largely in the form of battery plants to ensure that vehicles with modern technology will be made right here in America. Those policies also focused on ensuring onshored or “friend-shored” critical mineral supply for battery materials, such as graphite.
But there’s a problem: a majority of the world’s graphite comes from China. While this isn’t necessarily a problem in and of itself, it’s always better to have multiple sources for any particular material, so that one entity can’t throw their weight around if they see an opportunity. And given the anti-China saber-rattling that a certain treasonous reality TV host regularly engages in, it’s entirely possible that global tensions could result in disruption of graphite supply chains, which could then jeopardize the aforementioned burgeoning US EV manufacturing industry (which that same reality TV host/convicted felon seems determined to ensure does not flourish).
So, in come researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratories, who figured out a way to turn something that America still has a lot of – coal – into graphite.
It’s not too big of a leap, as graphite is a form of carbon and coal is also mostly carbon. But ORNL’s process takes impurities in coal and removes them to create material that is suitable for a battery anode.
Other methods to create synthetic graphite exist, but require more time, more cost and higher temperatures. The new process is estimated to cost 13% less than the old Acheson process, according to an analysis by ORNL researcher Prashant Nagapurkar.
In the ORNL process, if the electricity is green, the whole process is green. Especially because coal historically has this reputation as ‘dirty,’ a particularly important next step is to track emissions from the entire supply chain through the manufacturing process. This could demonstrate that it is indeed a greener option to manufacture graphite from coal.
–Prashant Nagapurkar, ORNL R&D associate
Better yet, the process doesn’t just work on coal straight out of the ground (which is where coal belongs and should stay) – it also works on coal waste like fly ash, the leftovers of previous coal mining efforts, of which there are over a hundred million tons of this hazardous waste strewn about the country. Thankfully, most of this is on the surface and won’t require further mining to get to.
Researchers say that the process could help to clean up that waste, and give it a use in powering modern vehicles. They estimate that the amount of waste in the US would be enough to provide around 30% of the graphite needed for EV batteries between now and 2050.
The process doesn’t need to be used only on coal, though. Project lead Edgar Lara-Curzio explained to Electrek how it could have potential applications on other sources of carbon:
However, while this particular project focuses on finding a positive use for coal waste, the electrochemical graphitization technology that we are scaling up can be used with other amorphous carbon sources. Once we get rid of waste coal – which would be a major environmental restoration achievement in itself – biomass (e.g., dead vegetation), petroleum, or other carbon sources could be used to manufacture graphite using the same process.
For example, methane pyrolysis, which can be used to produce hydrogen, generates solid carbon as a byproduct, which could be electrochemically graphitized for lithium-ion battery applications. This technology offers the benefit of strengthening domestic supply chains for graphite rather than relying on graphite mined and processed in foreign countries, many of which have much weaker environmental and worker protections.
The ORNL project was done in collaboration with Ramaco Carbon, a Wyoming-based company that owns multiple coal mines and provides coal for steelmaking. Ramaco says that its guiding principle is “coal is too valuable to burn.” Its focus is to find uses for coal that replace petroleum as a feedstock for various chemical and material processes at what it says will be a much lower cost.
Electrek’s Take
At first glance, this seems like some really great research. It onshores graphite supply, offers some scalable competition globally to diversify battery material sources, can be used on old waste, and is cheaper than existing processes.
But it also feels a little sketchy, because what we need to be focusing on is keeping carbon in the ground.
When we take carbon out of the ground, we sure do have a tendency to burn it, which means it ends up in the air, which is bad. Currently the air is 423ppm carbon, which is higher than the 280-350ppm range that represents a proper balance for current life on Earth. This means we don’t need to be taking carbon out of the ground, we need to be putting it back in the ground – and a lot of it.
So, any new process that might make us look at that carbon in the ground and think of another way that we might use it is suspect.
At least in this instance, it’s being proposed by a company that owns coal mines not for burning, but for finding other uses. So they might not use this as an excuse to burn more coal. Which is nice.
However, there has also been a significant push lately for coal-free steel, led by companies like SSAB in Sweden. Coal-based steelmaking (like that which Ramaco provides coal for) is linked to nearly a thousand deaths, $13 billion in healthcare costs and hundreds of thousands of lost school and work days annually in the US.
Given that this research was done in collaboration with a company that provides coal for that same dirty process, it gives us some pause. The process of turning coal into batteries will be cleaner than simply burning coal into the air, and graphite is potentially recyclable and usable long-term in multiple generations of electric car batteries, but it’s hard to shake the fact that coal is one of the most-polluting substances humans have available to us.
So, would we be giving ourselves more reasons to take coal out of the ground with this process? Even though researchers point out that coal waste can be used in this process, what if companies find out that it’s more difficult or costly to process the waste than it is to dig up new coal?
Given that we stubbornly refuse to impose the real price of this pollution on the companies that cause it, it’s entirely possible that coal mines will figure out a way to use this to justify their continued operation (especially whenever a republican administration, who have routinely shown themselves to be hostile to human health and too cozy with the coal industry, finds itself in charge).
So while new science is never a bad thing, this strikes me as something that we should keep an eye on. Cleaning up the environmental disaster of stranded coal waste is a fantastic usage, but lets not let this forestall the rapid shutting down of coal mines in this country.
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Solar provided over 10% of total US electrical generation in April, wind and solar produced almost one-quarter, and the mix of all renewable energy generated nearly a third, according to data just released by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Solar set new records in April and the first third of 2025
EIA’s latest monthly “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through April 30, 2025), which was reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign, confirms that solar continues to be the fastest-growing source of US electricity.
In April alone, electrical generation by utility-scale solar (>1 MW) increased by 39.3% while “estimated” small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar PV increased by 11.8%. Combined, they grew by 31.3% and provided 10.7% of US electrical output.
Utility-scale solar thermal and PV expanded by 42.4% while that from small-scale systems rose by 11.4% during the first third of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The combination of utility-scale and small-scale solar increased by 32.9% and was almost 7.7% of total US electrical generation for January-April, up from 6.1% a year earlier.
As a result, solar-generated electricity easily surpassed hydropower output, at 6.0%. In fact, solar is now producing more electricity than hydropower, biomass, and geothermal combined.
Wind is still the renewable energy leader
Wind turbines produced 12.6% of US electricity in the first four months of 2025. Their output was 5.9% greater than the year before.
In April alone, wind provided 13.9% of US electricity supply, essentially equal to the share provided by coal.
Wind and solar now outproduce coal and nuclear
During the first third of 2025, electrical generation by wind plus utility-scale and small-scale solar provided 20.3% of the US total, up from 18.5% during the first four months of 2024. In just the month of April, solar plus wind accounted for 24.6% of US electrical output.
During the first four months of this year, the combination of wind and solar provided 20.2% more electricity than did coal, and 13.8% more than US nuclear power plants. In April alone, the disparity increased significantly when solar + wind outproduced coal and nuclear power by 77.1% and 40.2%, respectively.
Renewables are closing in on natural gas
The mix of all renewables (wind and solar plus hydropower, biomass, and geothermal) produced 10.3% more electricity in January-April than they did a year ago (9.7% more in April alone) and provided 27.7% of total US electricity production compared to 26.3% 12 months earlier.
Electrical generation by the combination of all renewables in April alone reached a new record and provided 32.8% of total US electrical generation. Moreover, renewables are now approaching the share provided by natural gas (35.1%), whose electrical output actually dropped by 4.4% during the month.
For perspective, five years ago, in April 2020, the mix of renewables provided 24.4% of total electrical generation while natural gas accounted for 38.8%.
Consequently, the mix of renewables has further strengthened its position as the second largest source of electrical generation, behind only natural gas, with the gap closing rapidly.
Ken Bossong, the SUN DAY Campaign’s executive director, noted:
Solar is now the fastest-growing major source of electricity and is generating more than hydropower, biomass, and geothermal combined, while wind plus solar provides more electricity than either coal or nuclear power, and the mix of all renewables is nearly matching the output of natural gas.
Yet, the Trump administration and the Republican Congress are seeking to pull the rug out from underneath renewables in favor of dirtier and more expensive fossil fuel and nuclear technologies. What are they thinking?
Read more: $15.5B in EV, renewable projects vanish as Senate eyes rollbacks
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![Here's a look at the Kia EV4 GT before you're supposed to see it [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/06/Kia-EV4-GT-US.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Kia’s upcoming EV4 GT is gunning for the Tesla Model 3 Performance, but it’s expected to undercut the price. Could this be the affordable electric sports car we’ve been waiting for? A new video shows the Kia EV4 GT driving on US streets ahead of its debut.
Kia EV4 GT is testing in the US ahead of its debut
After launching it in Korea in April, some are already calling Kia’s first electric sedan “a box office hit.” The EV4 was the best-selling domestic electric sedan in Korea in May, its second month on the market.
Kia’s electric sedan starts at just 41.92 million won, or around $30,000 in Korea. When it arrives in the US and Europe, the entry-level EV is expected to start at about $35,000 to $40,000 (€35,000).
With its sleek, fastback silhouette, the EV4 already looks like a sports car, making it an ideal candidate for a high-performance upgrade. All the EV4 needs is a little added power. Don’t worry, Kia plans to turn up the heat very soon.
We caught our first glimpse of the interior earlier this month after a prototype was spotted outside of a Kia facility in Korea.
A new video is giving us a closer look at the Kia EV4 GT being tested in the US for the first time. The video from the folks at KindelAuto reveals a few design elements you can expect to see, like Kia’s vertical LED headlights with its signature Star Map lighting.
Although it’s still covered, you can expect to see Kia’s new Tiger Face grille design, which aligns with its latest electric models, including the EV9 and EV3.
We will have to wait until closer to launch for final prices and specs, but like Kia’s other GT vehicles, the EV4 GT is expected to feature an AWD dual-motor powertrain.
It will sit under the EV6 GT, which boasts 576 hp, enabling a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of 3.4 seconds. Will the smaller EV4 GT top it? With recent advancements in battery and powertrain technology, it wouldn’t be a surprise.
Kia will launch the EV4 in the US later this year with an EPA-estimated driving range of up to 330 miles. Additionally, it will feature a built-in NACS port, allowing it to recharge at Tesla Superchargers. With the base model expected to start at around $35,000, the high-performance GT variant could cost around $50,000 to $55,000.
In comparison, the Tesla Model 3 Performance starts at $54,990 with an EPA-est range of 298 miles. It can also accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds.
Would you pick the Kia EV4 GT for around $50,000, or are you sticking with the Tesla Model 3 Performance? Got a better option in mind? Drop us a comment below.
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Xiaomi has confirmed receiving over 200,000 real orders for its Tesla killer, the YU7, in just three minutes. We are referring to actual orders, with a soon-to-be non-refundable deposit.
Today, Xiaomi launched its second vehicle, the YU7, coming just four years after establishing its EV division and less than a year after introducing its first car, the SU7.
For years, we laughed at the media calling every new EV a ‘Tesla killer’, but over the last few weeks, we have reported how the YU7 might be the first real one.
At the launch event, CEO Lei Jun was not shy about making comparisons to Tesla.
While the CEO praised the automaker for its leading efficiency and ADAS system, Lei Jun released a series of slides that favorably compared the YU7 to the Model Y.
It started with a comparison of the entire dimensions of both vehicles (image translated via Google):
Xiaomi’s CEO then claimed that the new YU7 had a significantly quite cabin with much less road noises than Tesla’s best-selling SUV (image translated via Google):
In my first drive of the YU7, I did note that the cabin was ultra quiet and demonstrated it briefly in my Youtube video about the new electric SUV:
The double-panned acoustic glass all around helps with that, but the vehicle’s suspension is also optimized for noise, as well as active noise cancellation throughout the car.
Xiaomi also claimed that the vehicle, especially its electro-shading sunroof, was able to keep the cabin much cooler in extreme heat than Tesla’s Model Y (image translated via Google):
Lei Jun even shared a tweet that he posted about challenging Tesla Model Y’s best-selling crown and then truly went on the attack with pricing.
Ahead of today’s event Xiaomi had already shared a lot of information about the YU7, but pricing was the last significant piece of the puzzle.
The CEO decided to release with a direct comparison of each variant to Tesla’s own Model Y variant, and it was pretty brutal.
The base YU7 starts at just 253,500 RMB (equivalent to $35,300 USD) – 10,000 RMB less than Tesla, and it offers more than 200 extra km in range (image translated via Google):
As for the YU7 Pro, it starts at 279,900 RMB (equivalent to $39,000 USD), more than 30,000 RMB less than Tesla’s Model Y Long Range and it also compares quite favorably on the main features, including range (image translated via Google):
Finally, the YU7 Max was announced at 329,900 RMB (equivalent to $46,000 USD), 25,000 RMB less than Model Y Performance, and the specs are not even close:
With these incredibly favorable comparisons to Tesla’s best-selling SUV, it’s not surprising that Xiaomi has received record demand for the YU7.
It reported having received over 200,000 orders for the new electric vehicle within 3 minutes of opening orders at 10PM local time on Thursday.
It’s also important to note that these orders represent a genuine show of interest. This is not a Cybertruck situation where Tesla claimed to have over 1 million reservations, but ended up only selling about 50,000 units.
People ordering the vehicle need to place a 5,000 RMB (~700$) deposit, which only remains refundable for a few days before the order becomes locked in.
Xiaomi has already started production of the YU7 and made units available for delivery (with configurations limited to those pre-arranged by their designers) for almost immediate delivery.
Electrek’s Take
It’s hard to overestimate just how much this shook up the industry. At an average sale price of $40,000, that’s about $8 billion in sales that Xiaomi booked in 3 minutes.
I would expect the tally to increase past 400,000 in the coming days, and it will likely lock up a significant portion of potential buyers in the segment, particularly Model Y, for an extended period.
Tesla was already experiencing problems in China and had to offer record incentives to maintain its sales, but it will now face even greater challenges in the second half of the year.
I expect that Tesla will quickly launch its lower priced stripped down Model Y to try to help demand following this beating.
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